Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is projected to defeat Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s closely contested Senate election, becoming the first Muslim American elected to the US Senate, according to Decision Desk HQ.
El-Sayed, a physician and former public health administrator in Detroit and Wayne County, secured just over 50% of the vote against Rogers, who received more than 47%, with approximately 52% of ballots counted early Wednesday.
The projected victory marks a historic milestone in American political representation and a significant Democratic gain in Michigan, a battleground state narrowly won by President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, El-Sayed built his campaign around healthcare reform, economic inequality and the rising cost of living.
His progressive platform attracted support from prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, the campaign was marked by controversy over his Muslim identity, his positions on Israel and the Gaza war, and his alleged political associations.
Trump repeatedly attacked El-Sayed during the campaign, at one point describing him as a “violent terrorist” and referring to him by his middle name, Mohamed. Rogers subsequently declined to endorse the president’s characterisation.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, El-Sayed said: “I don’t care how he pronounces my name. I don’t even care that he remembers my whole name. Because he can just go on and call me ‘senator’ after November. I will be Senator Mohamed to you, bro.”
The race also witnessed an unexpected political development when Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who had lost to El-Sayed in the party’s summer primary, endorsed Rogers just days before the election.
Stevens said her decision was motivated by concerns about “hate” and El-Sayed’s connections to left-wing political commentator Hasan Piker.
Her endorsement provoked criticism from senior Democrats, with several members of her staff reportedly resigning in protest.
El-Sayed’s campaign said it raised $1.2 million within four hours of Stevens announcing her support for Rogers.
Rogers, a former congressman who narrowly lost Michigan’s 2024 Senate election to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, sought to portray El-Sayed as politically extreme, including raising allegations about connections to the Muslim Brotherhood that El-Sayed rejected.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance both visited Michigan in the closing days of the campaign to rally Republican support.
Pre-election polling had indicated an advantage for El-Sayed, including a New York Times/Siena University survey showing him ahead by 11 percentage points.
If the projected result is confirmed, El-Sayed will succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters and become the first Muslim American to serve in the Senate.
His projected election represents a significant moment for Muslim American political representation at the national level, while also contributing to the broader Democratic gains reported in the 2026 midterm elections.