Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is projected to defeat Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's U.S. Senate race, according to The Associated Press, keeping the seat in Democratic hands.
“I am so proud and honored to stand here as your senator-elect,” El-Sayed told supporters in a victory speech late on Tuesday.
"I want you to let them know. Let them know that we, together, fighting for something bigger, we won."
El-Sayed, who becomes the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, made the war in Gaza one of the central issues in his campaign, accusing Israel of committing genocide. He also criticized U.S. support for Israel under President Donald Trump.
His background was subject to attack ads from Republicans, who accused him of being part of the Muslim Brotherhood. He shrugged off those attacks and built a coalition of progressive and moderate Democrats that included former President Barack Obama and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The final days of the campaign took a dramatic turn when El-Sayed's former Democratic primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, withdrew her endorsement of him and instead backed Rogers. Stevens said she ultimately could not support El-Sayed, citing differences over Israel and saying she did not feel welcome in his campaign.
A former public health official, El-Sayed campaigned on expanding access to affordable health care, including his support for Medicare for All.
His platform also focused on lowering everyday costs, expanding access to affordable housing, reducing the influence of money in politics and strengthening environmental protections, including efforts to ensure clean air and water.