
The first Muslim senator in the United States after a Democratic victory wave
AI-generated summary
Abdul El-Sayed has been considered by many, including Democrats, to be too far to the left. He is Muslim, and both Donald Trump and Mike Rogers have portrayed him as a dangerous "jihadist". The battle in Michigan has been seen as a test for the entire United States whether a candidate standing so far to the left can win.
USA: All eyes were on Detroit this evening. A blue, democratic wave of victory seemed to sweep across the country. But would it reach Michigan?
Abdul El-Sayed has been considered by many, including Democrats, to be too far to the left. He is Muslim, and both Donald Trump and his Republican opponent Mike Rogers have portrayed him as a dangerous "jihadist".
But to the hundreds of young campaigners who had gathered in a former market hall, he is a hero.
- The fact that he is a Muslim man does not make him a dangerous person, says Ellis Clemenson, a young man who has worked with the campaign.
He says he has worked hard to convince other young voters what is really true and what is false in the Republican political ads that appear on social media and on television.
In the room, cheers rose to the ceiling every time the giant television screen showed that a Democrat had taken the lead in a state.
There were many reasons for this audience to rejoice: Democratic victories in the Senate elections in Georgia, North Carolina, New Hampshire and even in South Carolina â a state that Trump won by an 18 percentage point margin in 2024.
When El-Sayed appeared on stage in the early evening, he was in the lead, but less than half the votes had been counted in Michigan. Even then he seemed convinced that the victory was complete.
- If the margin is large enough, inshallah, then they cannot question our victory.
- We will be able to stand up to Trump. We will be able to improve the lives of millions of people here in Michigan who are tired of run down and bad schools, who are tired of having to work two jobs to support their families, who are tired of not being able to afford to go to the doctor.
"Abdul, Abdul, Abdul" chanted the crowd.
El-Sayed's wife, doctor Sarah Jukaku, came on stage wearing a hijab. Then even more cheers broke out:
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!"
Later that night US time, it was clear that El-Sayed had made it all the way to the Senate.
In a speech declaring victory in the Senate election, El-Sayed said he looks forward to working for the people of Michigan. He also accused Republicans of trying to create division by attacking his name and beliefs.
- But we all know that my name and my faith are not the reason why you can't afford gas, nor the reason why you can't afford groceries, or the reason why you can't see a doctor, says Abdul El-Sayed.
The fight in Michigan has been seen as a test for the entire United States. The question was whether a candidate standing so far to the left could win. El-Sayed, for example, is in favor of universal state health insurance, which is considered an extreme opinion even among many Democrats.
The victory for El-Sayed is interpreted by some as a radical candidate like New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could become the Democratic presidential candidate in 2028.
Abdul El-Sayed also becomes the first ever Muslim senator in the United States.
We speak to Harsimran Singh who is a young campaign worker. She has roots in India but is not Muslim but Sikh.
- For me, he is much more than a Muslim. I think he listens to all minorities. Abdul is a person who can fight for all of us in Washington, she says.
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