Overview
- Abdul El‑Sayed won Michigan’s open Senate seat on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Mike Rogers and becoming the first Muslim American elected to the U.S. Senate.
- In his acceptance speech he addressed Vice President JD Vance as “habibi,” used other Arabic phrases and quipped that Vance is constitutionally obliged to swear him in, a line that quickly went viral.
- The speech repurposed terms often used in everyday Arabic — including the shift from “inshallah” to “hamdulillah” — as a pointed rebuttal to weeks of name‑ and faith‑based attacks from high‑profile Republicans.
- Supporters and Arab and Muslim communities responded with celebrations, social media memes and merchandise such as “Habibi for Abdul,” while El‑Sayed’s wife’s relatives in Bhatkal, India, publicly expressed pride.
- El‑Sayed’s win resolves the immediate contest but now turns focus to his January 2027 swearing‑in, the vice president’s role in administering oaths, and how his progressive agenda on health care, campaign finance and foreign policy will play out in the Senate.