Abdul El-Sayed won election as the first Muslim senator in United States history, securing victory in Michigan by a margin of more than 65 percentage points, according to reports by [MUI Digital].
During the Michigan Senate election campaign, Republican advertisers spent US$46 million attacking El-Sayed with narratives linking him to terrorism or the September 11, 2001 (9/11) tragedy, as documented by MUI Digital. In response to accusations regarding religious law during a campaign stop in Macomb County, El-Sayed joked that he supported “shawarma law” rather than Sharia law, a satire noted by [NU Online]. “Anda memilih kebencian, sementara Michigan memilih harapan,” kata El-Sayed kepada lawannya dari Partai Republik, Mike Rogers.
El-Sayed told his Republican opponent Mike Rogers during his victory speech, as reported by [MUI Digital]. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance repeatedly targeted El-Sayed during the race, with Trump labeling him a “jihadist” and Vance calling him “very, very, very evil,” according to [MUI Digital].
In his victory address, El-Sayed specifically addressed the vice president by name, stating:
“JD, habibi,” said Abdul El-Sayed, [Senator-elect], highlighting the constitutional requirement for Vance to officiate his swearing-in ceremony in January 2027.
Following his historic win, El-Sayed filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to establish a leadership political action committee named Habibi PAC, [CNN Indonesia] reported. Documents show the committee operates separately from his campaign team to raise funds for political allies within the Democratic Party.
The committee’s name derives from the Arabic word “habibi,” an affectionate term the politician frequently used during his campaign trail and interactions with supporters.
Outside of electoral politics, El-Sayed drew online attention for his personal skincare regimen after a video featuring him and comedian Suzanne Lambert resurfaced on social media platform X, [Wolipop] reported.
The politician begins his mornings washing his face with CeraVe Facial Cleanser before applying sunscreen, which he reapplies around midday, [Wolipop] stated. At night, he uses retinol every two nights alongside a “sandwich method” of applying moisturizer before and after active ingredients to prevent skin irritation, according to [Wolipop].
Republican advertisers spent $46 million, accounting for more than one-third of their total ad spending in the race, to target El-Sayed with negative narratives, according to [MUI Digital].
Habibi PAC is a leadership political action committee launched by El-Sayed with the Federal Election Commission to raise funds for his political allies, [CNN Indonesia] reported.