DETROIT (WXYZ) — Democrat El-Sayed defeated Republican Rogers in Michigan’s closely watched race for an open U.S. Senate seat, making history while setting up a new challenge: representing a state with voters deeply divided over politics and the issues they want Washington to address.
The victory makes El-Sayed the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He will succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, whose decision not to seek reelection created the rare open Senate seat in Michigan.
ABC News projected El-Sayed the winner early Wednesday morning, defeating Rogers. The Associated Press also called the race for El-Sayed.
The race was viewed as one of the most consequential Senate contests in the country. Republicans entered Election Day hoping to flip the seat, while Democrats needed to defend it as part of their effort to regain control of the Senate.
While supporters celebrated El-Sayed’s victory overnight, voters who spoke with 7 News Detroit offered starkly different reactions to the result and what they expect from Michigan’s next senator.
Craig Maass, a Republican from Farmington Hills, said he was concerned about El-Sayed’s progressive politics and skeptical that economic conditions would improve.
“He’s a socialist. And, that concerns me,” Maass said. “We’re getting a lot more socialists in this country. The democracy is diminishing. You know, they fought on good things with the fuel prices and the food prices. Me, myself, I don’t think it’s gonna change.”
When asked what he wants El-Sayed to focus on in Washington, Maass pointed to federal spending and prices.
“Mostly, you know, the government spending, decrease the government spending,” Maass said. “The government gets too involved in our business which is not usually good. You know, prices would be great. Gas prices will be great. I don’t think it’s gonna change. That’s my personal opinion.”
Jay Martin, an independent from New Hudson who said he would have voted for Rogers, similarly said the economy was his primary concern.
“Lower the taxes. I mean, the economy is just getting really bad,” Martin said. “And groceries, cigarettes, gas, everything’s just gone up. And, we could use an adjustment.”
Martin said he was drawn to Rogers because he believed the Republican would improve the economy.
“He seems to be going, leading that way to making the economy better,” Martin said. “So, that’s, I mean, that’s everything. That’s our livelihood.”
Joshua Hall, a Democrat from Southfield, said he wants El-Sayed to focus on making communities more affordable while also addressing violence and opportunities for young people.
“We really just need him to like do more for the community as far as for the people, you know what I mean, as far as making it affordable and livable,” Hall said.
Hall also hopes the incoming senator can help steer young people toward more productive opportunities.
“We need to calm down the violence,” Hall said. “If they can help and like guide the youth into like more positive things, more productive things, I feel like it’ll be a safer place for everyone that wants to come.”
For Saad Ijaz, a voter from Detroit, El-Sayed’s election carried a more personal significance.
“It's so surreal for the first time someone who has that same skin color as you, someone who has felt that hate that you have felt, someone who has lived that life that you have been living is now representing your communities on the highest level,” Ijaz said. “It's just so surreal.”
Hear from El-Sayed in his victory speech in the video below
El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director and Wayne County health official, campaigned as a progressive, with universal health care and economic issues forming key parts of his platform. His victory came after a contentious general election campaign and divisions within the Democratic Party, including a public dispute with his former primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who endorsed Rogers in the closing days of the race.
In his victory speech in Detroit, El-Sayed thanked voters for taking a chance on what he called the “unlikeliest of candidates.”
“Michigan, we did it,” he told supporters. “I cannot wait to serve you with the same big-heartedness, open-mindedness, grit and earnestness that you’ve shown me.”
Now, El-Sayed will head to Washington representing not only the Michiganders who voted for him, but also those who backed Rogers or another candidate.
The conversations 7 News Detroit had with voters overnight highlighted some of the challenges waiting for him. Whether Republican, Democrat or independent, voters repeatedly raised the economy and cost of living, while others pointed to government spending, public safety and investment in communities.
For Michigan’s senator-elect, the task now shifts from winning an election to finding common ground among those competing priorities and a divided electorate.
