Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins election to U.S. Senate from Michigan

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won election Wednesday to the U.S. Senate representing Michigan, defeating Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed, a former public health official, will succeed Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who is retiring. El-Sayed will be the country’s first Muslim senator and his victory holds a seat that his party could not afford to lose as it tries to flip Senate control in Washington. El-Sayed had defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in a razor-thin primary despite her massive fundraising advantage and support from Democratic establishment figures who warned that El-Sayed was a risky bet in November. His victory over Rogers, a former congressman, will likely embolden progressives by demonstrating success in a battleground state. The Associated Press declared El-Sayed the winner at 2:27 a.m. EST.