Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Race, Becoming First Muslim Elected to U.S. Senate

Decision Desk HQ and Fox News projected Democrat Abdul El-Sayed the winner of Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat early Wednesday, over Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers. El-Sayed will be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate when the next Congress takes office in January.

The race was called for El-Sayed by 2 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to the Detroit Free Press. He declared victory in a speech to supporters at about 1:30 a.m., telling them, “You took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates. This is all yours. Michigan, I cannot wait to serve you.”

With 70% of the vote tallied, El-Sayed led Rogers 52% to 46%, the Free Press reported, and he had not trailed in the count during the night. USA TODAY reported at 1:50 a.m. that El-Sayed led by about 210,000 votes, a margin of roughly 52% to 46%.

A costly race shaped by late twists

El-Sayed, 42, of Ann Arbor, is a former Wayne County and Detroit health director and the child of Egyptian immigrants. He replaces Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who is stepping down after two six-year terms. Rogers, a former FBI agent and former House member, was making his second attempt in two years to win an open Senate seat in Michigan.

The campaign drew heavy spending. According to OpenSecrets figures cited by the Free Press, groups outside Michigan spent more than $300 million on the race, and the candidates raised more than $100 million combined.

The final days brought a late turn. Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat who lost the August primary to El-Sayed, endorsed Rogers the Sunday before the election, arguing that El-Sayed had not addressed the concerns of Jewish Democrats and had rejected her help, the Free Press reported. El-Sayed campaigned on a three-part message he repeated at rallies: “Money out of politics, money in your pocket, Medicare for All.”

Attacks over faith and foreign policy

Rogers and his allies sought to link El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed disavowed the group and said he has no ties to it, USA TODAY reported. The Free Press reported that President Donald Trump called El-Sayed “Mohammed” as an apparent slur and that Sen. Ted Cruz called him a “jihadist,” despite a lack of evidence supporting that claim.

El-Sayed’s criticism of Israel was a central issue in the race. He called for a halt to military aid to Israel, the Free Press reported. During an Oct. 8 debate, when asked whether Israel or Iran was a bigger threat to U.S. security, he dismissed the question as a “ridiculous hypothetical” before saying both posed a threat, according to USA TODAY.

Michigan had been widely seen as Republicans’ best chance to flip a Democratic-held Senate seat, the Free Press reported. Democrats had already been projected to win control of both chambers of Congress before the Michigan race was called.

Reporting based on coverage by the Detroit Free Press and USA TODAY.