Abdul El-Sayed Makes History As First Muslim Elected To US Senate, Defeats Trump-Backed Rogers Despite Anti-Muslim Attacks
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has made history as the first Muslim American elected to the United States Senate after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s high-stakes 2026 midterm race, according to Decision Desk HQ.
El-Sayed, a doctor and former head of health departments in Detroit and Wayne County, notched just over 50 percent of the vote against Rogers’ 47 percent to succeed retiring Senator Gary Peters. Born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, his victory kept the swing state, which President Trump narrowly carried in 2024, in Democratic hands.
The win came despite a barrage of anti-Muslim rhetoric from President Trump, who made the campaign about El-Sayed’s faith. Trump urged Jewish voters not to support him, saying those who did should “be ashamed of themselves.”
He declared “Michigan needs to stand up and fight. Stop a jihadist from walking into the Capitol,” and compared El-Sayed to the attackers who took over United Flight 93 during September 11, 2001. He labelled him a “violent terrorist” while referring to him as “Mohammed,” saying “if you have any question about somebody from that part of the world’s name, just call him ‘Mohammed,’ you’ll be right 64% of the time.”
El-Sayed shrugged off the attacks, responding “I don’t care how he pronounces my name. I don’t even care that he remembers my whole name. Because he can just go on and call me ‘senator’ after November. I will be Senator Mohamed to you, bro.”
His progressive campaign centred on healthcare and cost-of-living issues for Michiganders, even as Rogers, a former congressman narrowly defeated in 2024, tried to paint him as an extremist with alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group. Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance visited Michigan in the final blitz.
The race was also roiled by a last-minute betrayal within the Democratic camp. Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the primary after calling Rogers a “rubber stamp” for Trump’s “dangerous agenda,” made a surprise endorsement of Rogers two days before the election.
She cited “hate” and his ties to left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. Top Democrats blasted the move as betrayal, staffers resigned, but El-Sayed turned it to advantage, raising $1.2 million in four hours.
Despite the controversies, El-Sayed drew heavyweight support from former President Barack Obama, who told a packed gymnasium in Detroit “Abdul is as Michigan as it gets. Abdul shares my values.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris also backed him. Polls showed him leading by up to 11 points heading into Election Day, with his victory marking a significant moment in America’s blue wave midterm, where Democrats flipped the Senate, with El-Sayed now set to become the first Muslim voice in the upper chamber.
