El-Sayed Criticizes Israel and AIPAC in Victory Address
On November 3, 2026, newly elected Senator Abdul El-Sayed turned his victory speech in Detroit, Michigan, on Israel, as reported by Combat Antisemitism. According to the post published on November 5, 2026, El-Sayed stated during his remarks:
"We don't want our money sent to do apartheid or genocide or war."
Combat Antisemitism also reported that El-Sayed directed comments to AIPAC, stating:
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to beat you twice."
Victory in Detroit and Reactions From Supporters
Reporting by New Lines Magazine noted that El-Sayed broke the news of his victory to supporters in a jam-packed ballroom in Detroit around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday following an 18-month campaign. El-Sayed said in his speech:
"We can defeat the cynicism of a politics that preys on our earnestness, undersells our intelligence and exploits our disagreements. Tonight, Michigan, we beat a machine, and we proved once again just how big America really is."
According to New Lines Magazine, El-Sayed secured a seven-point lead over his Trump-endorsed Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, becoming the country's first Muslim senator. The Associated Press reported that El-Sayed outperformed former Vice President Kamala Harris in all 83 Michigan counties. In Detroit, El-Sayed narrowly surpassed Harris despite having lost the city to Representative Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary three months earlier.
New Lines Magazine reported that supporters gathered at the election night event in Detroit, including 39-year-old Detroit resident Dan Klein, who wore a "Jews for Abdul" shirt and called the contest a "history-making race." Klein remarked that "it took a Muslim with three degrees who was also a Rhodes Scholar, high school football captain and University of Michigan valedictorian to get to this point, because other politicians have to 'clear much lower bars than Abdul has had to face.'" In Dearborn, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud reported that turnout reached nearly 57 percent, with 82 percent voting for El-Sayed.
Campaign Clashes and Opponent Remarks
According to The Guardian, El-Sayed faced intense rhetoric during the race. The Guardian reported that Donald Trump mocked El-Sayed's name, called him a "jihadist lunatic," and said the Senate would have to "get a special metal detector for Abdul" if he were elected. Representative Haley Stevens, whom El-Sayed narrowly defeated for the Democratic nomination, denounced him at the last minute and endorsed his Republican rival, according to The Guardian.
Following his election victory, El-Sayed addressed Trump's campaign comments, as reported by The Guardian:
"Donald, look, I know you struggled with my name. So after JD [Vance] swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me senator."