Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Democratic primary for Senate, NBC projects

What the report says

Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive public health advocate, has won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, according to NBC’s projection cited by Al Jazeera. The result comes after what the article describes as more than $60 million in election spending aimed at defeating him, with most of that money from pro-Israel groups. Al Jazeera says the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, played a leading role in backing El-Sayed’s opponent, Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens, with more than $30 million.

El-Sayed will now face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in November. The contest is expected to be highly competitive and could help determine control of the Senate during the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. The article notes that Michigan is a swing state that voted for Trump in 2024, making the race especially important for both parties.

If elected in November, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history, the report says. He is of Egyptian descent and has built his campaign around criticism of U.S. spending tied to support for Israel, arguing that those resources should instead go toward domestic needs such as healthcare, housing and infrastructure. The result is presented as a setback for AIPAC and a potentially significant signal for Democratic politics on Middle East policy.