AP
APTOPIX Election 2026 Michigan
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks at an election night event, early Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Detroit, as his wife Sarah Jukaku watches.
As featured on
Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed tells The Associated Press that voters have rejected a “hateful, spiteful campaign” after months of Republican attacks on his Muslim identity. El-Sayed spoke to the AP by phone Wednesday. He will become the nation’s first Muslim senator after defeating Republican Mike Rogers by a significant margin in one of the nation's most closely watched races. President Donald Trump repeatedly called him a “jihadist” during the campaign. El-Sayed also reflected on the historic significance of his victory and called for new Democratic leadership in Congress.
