Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan. Following his victory, he delivered a viral speech addressing Donald Trump and JD Vance over campaign rhetoric targeting his faith.
The newly elected Democrat, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, delivered a viral victory speech in Detroit after defeating Republican Party candidate Mike Rogers to win Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, November 3.
Abdul El-Sayed, who has been serving as the director of the Wayne County Department of Health, made history by becoming the first Muslim ever elected to the United States Senate. The Democrat secured a historic victory with 52.2% of the votes (2,404,169), defeating Republican Mike Rogers, who received 45.8% (2,107,742).
Abdul El-Sayed, who was heavily endorsed by former two-time US President Barack Obama, spoke passionately about defending American values and uniting working families during his campaign in Michigan.
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Abdul Trolls Trump and Vance
After being confirmed as the new Michigan Senator with a lead of over 296,000 votes, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed aimed directly at President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during his election night rally in Detroit.
In a video that went viral on social media, Abdul El-Sayed was seen addressing the supporters in Detroit, using his full name as a deliberate statement. He took a dig at VP JD Vance by calling him ‘Habibi’ while reminding him of swearing him in in January. He then directed his attention to President Donald Trump, saying that the President can call him ‘Senator’ rather than his full name.
“Habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January.” the newly elected Michigan Senator said.
“Donald, look, I know you struggle with my name, so after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me Senator,” he added.
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Abdul El-Sayed’s remarks stemmed from months of intense campaign rhetoric targeting his Muslim identity, faith, and heritage. President Trump, Vice President Vance, and other Republican leaders repeatedly targeted El-Sayed’s background.
However, El-Sayed’s decisive 6.4-point victory margin proved that Michigan voters rejected divisive tactics.
Who is Abdul El-Sayed?
Abdul El-Sayed, or Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, was born to Egyptian immigrant parents on October 31, 1984. Abdul was born and brought up in Michigan, and hence, he has been a dedicated advocate for the state’s working families.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where he captained the varsity lacrosse team, before completing a doctorate at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and receiving his medical degree from Columbia University. At the age of 30, Abdul El-Sayed became the health director of Detroit in 2015, becoming the youngest public health official in a major U.S. city.
Thereafter, Abdul went on to serve as director of the Wayne County Department of Health. Abdul El-Sayed made his electoral debut in 2018 when he ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Michigan, finishing second behind eventual winner Gretchen Whitmer.
In the 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary, Abdul emerged as a prominent leader of the ‘Uncommitted’ movement, advocating for a protest vote in the state’s Democratic presidential primary to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and changes to U.S. foreign policy.
In 2026, Abdul El-Sayed’s political career took a massive turn as he was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Republican contender Mike Rogers to fill the seat left vacant by retiring Senator Gary Peters.
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