USAupdated 46m ago2 min read
Abdul El-Sayed Claims Victory Over Mike Rogers In Michigan U.S. Senate Race
51outlets comparedA wider view of the story
27 Western Mainstream11 West Asian7 Other6 Other source typesThis article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Abdul El-Sayed defeated Mike Rogers to win Michigan's U.S. Senate seat. El-Sayed becomes the first Muslim American U.S. senator.
Save coverage image
El-Sayed wins Michigan
Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed claimed victory in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race over Republican Mike Rogers in the early hours of Wednesday morning, saying, "They went all in on one of the ugliest campaigns we've seen in our lifetimes."
“They went all in on one of the ugliest campaigns we've seen in our lifetimes.”
El-Sayed framed the contest as an attack on affordability, telling supporters that his name and faith were "not the reason you can't afford your gas, not the reason you can't afford your groceries, not the reason you can't see a doctor."
El-Sayed also said the campaign was aimed beyond him, arguing, "They weren't just attacking me. They were targeting and attacking you."
El-Sayed’s win set up a historic milestone in the Senate, with Al Jazeera reporting that he will be sworn in on January 3 and become the first Muslim senator in US history.
Trump congratulates Democrats
President Donald Trump said he would work with Democrats after the election, telling Fox News, "Congratulations to the Democrats," and adding, "I think the Democrats did a good job."
Trump also said, "I would do that. Yeah, I think the Democrats want to work with me," while declining to weigh in on what comes next for Republicans in 2028.
Al Jazeera described the campaign against El-Sayed as anti-Muslim attacks spearheaded by Trump, and it quoted Arab American Institute executive director Maya Berry saying, "The electorate rejecting that bigotry is tremendous."
Al Jazeera also reported that Republicans used Islamophobia and invoked Arab-Black tensions to try to peel off African American voters from the Democratic coalition, while voters in Michigan told the outlet the election could determine the direction of the state and the country for years to come.
What the victory changes
Al Jazeera said El-Sayed’s win helps Democrats regain control of the Senate, but it also described the result as far more than a single seat for many supporters. Al Jazeera reported that El-Sayed campaigned on expanding government-funded healthcare to all Americans, getting money out of politics, and addressing the affordability crisis.
Al Jazeera also said El-Sayed accused Israel of carrying out a genocide in Gaza and called for investing money currently spent on foreign wars to instead fix local issues. ABC News projected that Democrats will take control of the Senate and the House, placing El-Sayed’s seat within a broader shift in Congress during the remainder of Donald Trump’s presidency.