Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate seat as first Muslim American senator

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 5 Nov, 17:51 · Archive

Abdul El-Sayed, son of Egyptian immigrants, has won a Michigan Senate seat to become the first Muslim American U.S. senator.

Abdul El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, has won a Michigan Senate seat and will become the first Muslim American U.S. senator. He faced Islamophobic rhetoric during the campaign trail and has responded by mocking his critics on the right while championing the Palestinian cause and leaning into his faith and Egyptian heritage.

In his victory speech, El-Sayed addressed Vice President JD Vance, who had warned that the candidate would lead rioters in burning down Detroit. El-Sayed said 'JD, habibi,' using the Arabic term which literally translates to 'my beloved' but in everyday speech often means 'buddy,' 'pal,' or 'bro.' He noted 'there is this delicious irony in the fact that you're constitutionally obliged to swear me in in January.' El-Sayed's supporters have worn shirts reading 'Habibi for Abdul.'

El-Sayed said his campaign had transformed 'inshallah'—'God willing'—into 'hamdulillah,' which means 'thank God.' Arabs across the Middle East and beyond have celebrated his victory and his introduction of Arabic words and phrases to American politics, with many posting music video clips featuring 'habibi' to social media. The celebration has been described as a rare outpouring of joy in a region affected by ongoing conflicts.

How it is being reported

• ‘JD, habibi.’ Arabs celebrate El-Sayed’s use of a term of affection to mock his foesArabs around the world are celebrating Abdul El-Sayed's Senate win and delighting in his introduction of Arabic words and phrases to the American political lexicon.News4Jax · 5 Nov, 17:15
• ‘JD, habibi.’ Arabs celebrate El-Sayed’s use of a term of affection to mock his foesArabs around the world are celebrating Abdul El-Sayed's Senate win and delighting in his introduction of Arabic words and phrases to the American political lexicon.Clickorlando · 5 Nov, 17:15

In this story: Abdul El-Sayed · JD Vance · Michigan · Detroit · Egypt

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log