NRT briefing
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race, becoming first Muslim American in Senate
Based on reporting by NPR.
The Brief
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's U.S. Senate election, the Associated Press projected, defeating former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers. El-Sayed, a 42-year-old former public health official, will become the first Muslim American to serve in the Senate.
The race tested an antiestablishment left-wing candidate in a Midwest battleground. El-Sayed campaigned on single-payer healthcare and limiting corporate money in politics, drawing support from young and infrequent voters. He narrowly beat Rep. Haley Stevens in the primary despite backing for Stevens from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
Rogers, endorsed by President Trump, had lost his 2024 Senate bid and tried to distance himself from some Trump policies late in the campaign.
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