Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s US Senate race, defeating Republican Mike Rogers and becoming the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate, according to projections from Decision Desk HQ and Fox News.
The race was called early on Wednesday, November 4, after a long count on election night. El-Sayed declared victory in a speech to supporters at around 1:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and by 2 a.m. Decision Desk HQ and Fox News had both called the race for him, the Detroit Free Press reported.
At the time of the call, El-Sayed led Rogers by roughly 52 percent to 46 percent, a margin of about 210,000 votes, according to USA Today. The Associated Press results page has since shown El-Sayed with 2,409,239 votes to Rogers’ 2,115,732, with 87.46 percent of precincts reporting. As with all election-night calls, the result rests on projections and remains subject to certification; no final certified totals are claimed here.
A historic first
El-Sayed, 42, of Ann Arbor, will become the nation’s first Muslim US senator when the next Congress takes office in January. A physician and former Wayne County and Detroit health director, and the child of Egyptian immigrants, he ran on a progressive platform in one of the most expensive and divisive contests of the 2026 midterms.
The seat is being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is stepping down after two six-year terms. El-Sayed’s win keeps the seat in Democratic hands and adds to the party’s growing advantage in the chamber following wins in Maine, South Carolina, Ohio and Iowa.
One of the most contested races in the country
The Michigan race was among the most closely watched in the country, and among the most expensive. More than $385 million was spent on advertising by both parties, according to AdImpact figures cited by The Economic Times.
Rogers, a former seven-term Republican representative, had been seen as a strong contender in a purple battleground state, and the race was still too close to call at midnight, with El-Sayed leading by about five percentage points with 65 percent of the vote counted. Wayne County, home to Detroit, counts its votes slowly, which helped delay the call.
What it means
El-Sayed’s victory was one of the final pieces of the Democrats’ Senate breakthrough on Tuesday night, in which the party was projected to win control of the chamber. His win also defied expectations that a progressive candidate could not win a purple battleground, and it gives the party’s progressive wing one of its most prominent victories of the cycle.
Rogers had not conceded as of 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Detroit Free Press. The result will be confirmed when Michigan certifies its vote.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Abdul El-Sayed?
Abdul El-Sayed, 42, is a physician and former Wayne County and Detroit health director from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the child of Egyptian immigrants. He is set to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
Who did he defeat?
He defeated Republican former Representative Mike Rogers in Michigan’s open Senate race, for the seat vacated by retiring Senator Gary Peters.
Is the result final?
No. The win rests on projections from Decision Desk HQ, Fox News and the Associated Press, and remains subject to certification. No final certified totals are claimed.
Sources:
- Associated Press, Michigan Senate results: https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/?ap_doc=ap%2Frg1%2FWyJhcC92Mi8yMDI2MTEwMy9sLzI0NDYzL01JL3MiLFsiMTE2OSIsIjY3MTUxIl1d
- USA Today live results: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/11/03/midterm-elections-results-updates-2026–live/91892413007/
- Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/11/03/michigan-election-november-live-updates–live/92498396007/
- The Economic Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/us-midterm-elections-2026-democrat-abdul-el-sayed-claims-victory-in-brutal-senate-battle-in-michigan/articleshow/135527964.cms
- News18: https://www.news18.com/world/michigan-senate-race-election-2026-live-results-abdul-el-sayed-mike-rogers-ws-l-10412016.html
Related reading: Democrats Win Senate Control in 2026 Midterms
