Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Seat, Becoming First Muslim Elected to US Senate

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's open US Senate seat on Tuesday, according to media projections, becoming the first Muslim elected to the chamber and preserving a Democratic seat. El-Sayed, 42, defeated Republican Mike Rogers. Elsewhere on election night, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia's governorship, becoming the first Black woman to hold a governorship in US history. Juliana Stratton won a Senate seat in Illinois, and when she is seated in January, three Black women will serve in the Senate together for the first time, alongside Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland. In Ohio, Dr. Amy Acton was elected the state's first woman governor, beating Vivek Ramaswamy. El-Sayed supports Medicare for All and an end to unconditional aid to Israel, and has the backing of Bernie Sanders. He later appeared on The View to discuss his win.

The New Republic, on the left, treats the night as a string of historic firsts. It congratulates El-Sayed, Bottoms, Stratton and Acton, praises his campaign for overcoming Islamophobia, and lists Bottoms's platform pledges. The right splits. The Daily Mail focuses on his The View appearance, describing Whoopi Goldberg as smitten and quoting her welcome, and it notes his defeat of Rogers as Democrats swept races. The Daily Wire argues that the press is celebrating the wrong story. It says he has not said whether Sharia or the Constitution comes first, highlights his "inshallah" and "Alhamdulillah" remarks, and cites CAIR. Both sides agree on the historic milestone and on his win over Rogers. They differ over whether his faith is a cause for celebration or for scrutiny. Reuters, listed as independent, reports the result plainly.