United States: Abdul El-Sayed Becomes the First Muslim Senator in History

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate election on November 3, 2026, according to Associated Press projections. The son of Egyptian immigrants and a former public health official, El-Sayed is part of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing and was endorsed by Bernie Sanders. He won the Democratic primary on August 4 against Representative Haley Stevens. El-Sayed said he wanted to be “the next senator from Michigan,” rather than make becoming the first Muslim senator in American history a campaign argument.