Abdul-Sayed, of Egyptian descent: Will he become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate?

Abdul El-Sayed (Abdulrahman El-Sayed) has secured the Democratic Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate race in Michigan, defeating the pro-Israel Representative Haley Stevens despite an unprecedented wave of spending led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its allies in support of his opponent. Stevens’ massive spending campaign approached $65 million, including more than $30 million from AIPAC, alongside facing the party establishment that rallied behind her rival. The result represents a significant victory for the progressive wing within the party in one of the most competitive states nationally.

El-Sayed also harbors a historic ambition: if he wins the general election, he could become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.

The candidate, of Egyptian descent, is preparing for a decisive showdown in the general election scheduled for November against Republican candidate Mike Rogers, the former congressman who secured his party’s nomination without opposition. This contest is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races in the country and could determine which party controls the chamber.

Abdul El-Sayed announced his victory in the Democratic primary, sending a message of thanks to the state’s voters via the platform X, stating, “Thank you, Michigan. I love you from the bottom of my heart.”

Later, the Democratic candidate pledged in another post to work to remove money from politics and advance social policies, reaffirming his support for providing healthcare for all and asserting that his victory represents a win for Michigan voters. He added that he was proud to receive the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, calling for continued campaigning to achieve victory in the November elections.

CNN and NBC News had both declared El-Sayed the winner of the race, following vote counting that began on Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday morning. However, other television networks delayed their declarations until more votes were counted.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer had endorsed Stevens late last month, a move seen as a final attempt to halt El-Sayed’s rapid rise.

The winner of the election will succeed Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who decided not to run for a third term and had announced his support for Stevens in the primary.