Abdul El-Sayed addresses supporters during his campaign after winning the Democratic primary for Michigan's US Senate race. Photo: Reuters
Michigan: Egyptian-American physician and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed on Wednesday, August 5, won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Michigan, defeating four-term Congresswoman Haley Stevens in a closely fought primary marked by record outside spending.
The 41-year-old will face Republican Mike Rogers in November’s midterm election. A victory would make him the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
The Michigan race became the most expensive Democratic Senate primary in US history, with outside groups spending nearly USD 70 million. Organisations linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) invested more than USD 30 million to support Stevens’ campaign.
Despite being heavily outspent, El-Sayed secured the nomination through a volunteer-driven grassroots campaign, marking a significant victory for progressives over establishment-backed forces.
El-Sayed entered the race with endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren and the United Auto Workers union.
His campaign centred on Medicare for All, campaign finance reform and immigration reform. He also called for ending unconditional US military aid to Israel and criticised Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, positions that helped consolidate support among many progressive and Arab American voters.
Born in Detroit to an Egyptian father and an American mother, El-Sayed studied at the University of Michigan before earning a medical degree from Columbia University. He later completed doctoral studies at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
Before entering politics, he served as Detroit’s public health director and later worked in Wayne County, focusing on healthcare access, environmental health, lead exposure and medical debt.
He first sought elected office in 2018 when he contested Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. Although unsuccessful, he remained active in public policy and later served on former President Joe Biden’s healthcare Unity Task Force before launching his Senate campaign in 2025.
US President Donald Trump described El-Sayed’s primary victory as “great news” for Republicans in a post on Truth Social, arguing that it would strengthen his party’s chances in the November election. He also criticised the Democratic Party, calling its policies “crazy”.
Following the result, Stevens congratulated El-Sayed and pledged her support for his campaign against Rogers as Democrats shift their focus to the general election.
This post was last modified on August 6, 2026 2:45 pm