Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, incorporating Arabic expressions and pointed remarks about President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance into his victory speech.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
DETROIT — Democrat Abdul El-Sayed made history Tuesday, Nov. 3, becoming the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan, then celebrating his victory with Arabic religious expressions and criticism of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
El-Sayed, a 42-year-old physician and former Detroit public health director, won the open Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. His victory preserved Democratic control of the Michigan seat after a closely watched campaign featuring disagreements over immigration, health care, Israel and the war with Iran.
During his election-night victory speech circulated on X, El-Sayed introduced himself by his full name and thanked supporters before using Arabic phrases associated with his Muslim faith.
<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"> </span><br>
“Michigan, we did it. My name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed and I am so proud and honored to stand here as your senator elect from the great state of Michigan,” he declared.
El-Sayed explained that throughout his campaign, he had used the Arabic expression “Inshallah,” meaning “God willing,” when discussing the possibility of winning.
With the election decided, he said the occasion called for a different expression.
“Up until right about now, you might have noticed, I always say Inshallah or God willing, whenever the outcome of this race was mentioned. But today, tonight, we can turn that Inshallah into a…” he told the crowd.
Supporters responded, “Alhamdulillah,” an Arabic expression meaning “Praise be to God,” which El-Sayed repeated.
“For the right wing ops, that just means praise be to God,” he added.
The remarks were part of a victory address in which El-Sayed celebrated his campaign’s success and criticized Republican opponents who had questioned his religious background.
According to NBC News election results, El-Sayed received approximately 52.4% of the vote, compared with 45.6% for Rogers, with about 96% of the expected vote counted Wednesday.
The election was one of the nation’s most competitive Senate contests. Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent, had the endorsement of Trump and national Republicans. He previously lost Michigan’s 2024 Senate election to Democrat Elissa Slotkin.
El-Sayed ran on a progressive platform emphasizing Medicare for All, lower household expenses and restrictions on corporate money in politics. His campaign also criticized American military involvement in the Middle East and U.S. financial and military assistance to Israel.
The Democratic candidate’s opposition to Israeli military operations in Gaza became a major issue during the campaign. Republican opponents accused him of holding extreme positions on Israel and questioned his political associations, allegations that El-Sayed rejected.
According to Reuters, Rogers and other Republicans attempted to portray El-Sayed as sympathetic to Islamic extremism, including allegations of connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed denied those accusations, and evidence substantiating such affiliations was not established.
Trump also criticized El-Sayed’s religion and identity during the campaign, referring to him as “Mohammed” and suggesting he would need to pass through a metal detector before entering the Senate.
Vance similarly attacked the Democratic candidate during campaign appearances, characterizing his positions as extreme and accusing him of promoting racial division.
El-Sayed addressed those comments directly in his victory speech, singling out the vice president’s constitutional role as president of the Senate.
“JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January,” El-Sayed said, using an Arabic term of affection.
He followed the remark with a reference to the longstanding college football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio, Vance’s home state.
“So, you know what that means? Wolverine 1, Buckeye 0.”
El-Sayed then addressed Trump, referencing the president’s earlier remarks about his name.
“Donald, look, I know you struggle with my name. So after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me senator,” he said.
The remarks drew applause and laughter from supporters, according to coverage by AL.com.
El-Sayed also directed criticism toward Rogers, accusing the Republican candidate of relying on attacks involving his religion and identity rather than focusing on Michigan voters’ priorities.
“See, you chose hate and Michigan chose hope,” he said. “May we never have to see the likes of you in the state again.”
The campaign had exposed divisions within Michigan’s Democratic Party. El-Sayed defeated more moderate Democratic opponents in the primary, including Rep. Haley Stevens, who subsequently endorsed Rogers shortly before the general election.
His victory followed substantial outside spending by political organizations, including groups supporting Israel that opposed his candidacy. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee and affiliated organizations spent heavily during the primary contest, making the race a focal point of disagreements within the Democratic Party over U.S.-Israel relations.
According to The Associated Press, El-Sayed overcame that opposition by emphasizing economic affordability, public health and limiting the influence of wealthy donors on elections.
The senator-elect is the son of Egyptian immigrants and was born and raised in Michigan. Before entering electoral politics, he worked as a physician, epidemiologist and public health administrator, serving as executive director of the Detroit Health Department.
He previously ran for Michigan governor in 2018 but lost the Democratic primary to Gretchen Whitmer, who subsequently won the general election.
During Tuesday’s speech, El-Sayed credited volunteers and voters who supported his campaign despite doubts about whether a progressive Muslim candidate could win statewide.
He also emphasized that his electoral success represented a broader political movement rather than an individual achievement.
“This movement for money out of politics, money in your pocket and Medicare for all, I just want to thank you everybody who knocked the door, made a call, sent a dollar, posted a story, and most importantly, gave us your stake in democracy,” he said, according to the published victory speech transcript.
El-Sayed’s victory came amid widespread Democratic gains in the 2026 midterm elections, with the party securing control of both chambers of Congress following voter dissatisfaction with economic conditions and the Trump administration’s policies.
His election adds a prominent progressive voice to the Senate and marks the first time a Muslim American will serve in the chamber.
El-Sayed is scheduled to take office in January 2027, succeeding Peters and beginning a six-year term representing Michigan in the U.S. Senate.
Original article
Comments