Key facts
- El-Sayed will be the first Muslim senator in US history, the BBC reported.
- Rogers was backed by President Donald Trump and portrayed El-Sayed as a communist.
- El-Sayed campaigned on universal health care and a wealth tax on billionaires.
- The seat was previously held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters.
- Democratic leadership called Stevens' endorsement of Rogers 'a despicable betrayal'.
Left-wing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won a key Senate seat in the battleground state of Michigan on November 3, 2026, defeating Republican Mike Rogers. The BBC reported that El-Sayed withstood attacks that included baselessly tying him to terrorism and a high-profile dispute with a fellow Democrat. He will be the first Muslim senator in US history, the report said.
Rogers, backed by President Donald Trump, portrayed El-Sayed as a communist and criticized his stance on Israel and his Muslim faith. El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, described Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide and called for an end to US aid to the country during the campaign. The contest was widely seen as a test of the political influence of the Democratic left in a key battleground state.
The win came days after El-Sayed's Democratic primary rival, Haley Stevens, endorsed Rogers. Democratic leadership called it "a despicable betrayal" and her staff reportedly resigned en masse. El-Sayed thanked supporters in the early hours of November 4, 2026, saying his win was theirs. The seat was previously held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters.