El-Sayed won the Democratic primary in August, defeating US Representative Haley Stevens and securing the nomination with support from progressive leaders, including Bernie Sanders. Abdul El-Sayed is running as a Democratic nominee in Michigan’s US Senate election where he will be competing against Republican Mike Rogers for an open seat. His campaign has focused on healthcare affordability, Medicare for All and campaign finance reform.
If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim ever to serve in the US Senate. El-Sayed entered electoral politics in 2018 where he ran for the governor of Michigan. He lost the primary to Gretchen Whitmer by roughly 21% votes. In 2025, he launched his campaign for the US Senate after Democratic Senator Gary Peters announced he would not seek re-election.
El-Sayed has criticized US military support for Israel and called for an end to the military aid. He has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and called for US foreign policy to prioritize diplomacy and human rights. Additionally, he also advocated for making higher education more affordable, improving school infrastructure and expanding access to nutritious school meals. El-Sayed has heavily criticized President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, arguing that the tariffs on Canada have impacted Michigan’s automotive industry. He called for ending the tariff war with Canada, citing that tariffs should protect and strengthen domestic industries rather than raising costs for businesses and consumers. El-Sayed even criticized some trade agreements made in the past, including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), arguing that they contributed to job losses and factory closures in Michigan. He criticized the Trump administration’s decision to enter the conflict and questioned whether the war had made Americans safer. An attendee asked him, “will you disavow the Muslim Brotherhood? El-Sayed replied, “sure, yeah, absolutely. He then questioned why his Muslim faith was being linked to questions about his loyalty to the US Constitution. “I’m not running to be a Muslim senator. The disclosures listed rental properties in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Bangalore and Dubai, along with a liability to a Dubai based real estate developer. His campaign has focused on healthcare reform, workers’ rights and the cost of living. As he faces Republican nominee Mike Rogers, his policies and political record remain central to his campaign.
During an October 2026 debate with Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, El-Sayed argued that the war has led to rising gasoline prices and economic uncertainty. Another significant case involved El-Sayed being questioned about the Muslim Brotherhood during a town hall in Caro, Michigan, on October 17. Abdul El-Sayed’s estimated household net worth ranged between $870,000 and $2.1 million, including assets held jointly with his wife, Sarah Jukaku, according to his financial disclosures reviewed by Fox News . The 2026 Senate election marks an important moment in El-Sayed’s political career as he seeks to represent Michigan in Washington.
As per his campaign website, he has pledged to build a government that works for the citizens, “not Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or their billionaire friends”. El-Sayed has called for an end to the war with Iran , calling it “illegal, unjustifiable, wrong” and argued that the US should pursue diplomacy instead of military intervention. I’m running for the US Senate and happen to be Muslim”, he said. Republican opponent Mike Rogers criticized his response, saying, “he didn’t disavow it”, and called El-Sayed’s explanation “word salad”. El-Sayed later said he had “clearly condemned” the organization.
