Abdul El-Sayed won the November 3, 2026, midterm election for the United States Senate in Michigan, defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers as reported by detikNews and Inews. The victory makes El-Sayed the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. detikNews reported that Donald Trump and JD Vance targeted El-Sayed with racist rhetoric and labels during the campaign, with Trump calling him a “jihadis” and Vance describing him as a “psikopat.”
Response to Campaign Attacks at the Victory Rally
Speaking at his victory rally on November 4, 2026, at The Department at Hudson’s in Detroit, Michigan, El-Sayed addressed the insults directly, as detailed by detikNews and Kompas.com. He highlighted the constitutional irony that JD Vance will be required to swear him into office in January. “JD, habibi, sungguh ironis, berdasarkan konstitusi, Anda wajib melantik saya pada bulan Januari nanti,” El-Sayed told cheering supporters. He also addressed Donald Trump, stating, “Donald, saya tahu Anda kesulitan melafalkan nama saya. Jadi, saat JD melantik saya nanti, Anda bisa memanggil saya ‘senator’.”
Proposed Collaboration on Foreign Aid Cuts
Despite the sharp clashes during the campaign, Kompas.com reported that El-Sayed stated his willingness to work with Donald Trump on specific policy matters, notably cutting US aid to Israel. During an interview on the MS NOW program Morning Joe on November 5, 2026, El-Sayed supported Trump’s proposal to trim $4 billion in aid to Israel by the end of the year. Trump had announced the planned cuts during an interview with Fox & Friends on November 3, 2026, claiming Israel no longer needs US financial assistance and that the decision was discussed with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Platform Focuses on Universal Healthcare and Campaign Finance Reform
El-Sayed's platform centered on universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, and critiques of US military involvement in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Elly Delfia, a lecturer at Universitas Andalas, discussed the rhetoric of the campaign, noting the heavy use of identity politics and public word-duels between the candidates.
Abdul El-Sayed Defeats Mike Rogers to Win Senate Seat
When did Abdul El-Sayed win the Senate election in Michigan?
El-Sayed secured his victory in the midterm elections held on November 3, 2026, with election results and his victory speech occurring on November 4, 2026.
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Who did Abdul El-Sayed defeat in the race?
He won the Senate seat by defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers, who had been the candidate backed by Donald Trump.
What specific policy area did El-Sayed express a desire to work with Trump on?
Kompas.com reported that El-Sayed expressed willingness to cooperate with Trump on trimming $4 billion in aid to Israel by the end of 2026.
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