‘Call me senator’: How Abdul El-Sayed beat Trump’s hate to create history

Abdul El-Sayed had an uncomfortable message for US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance as he celebrated his historic election victory in Michigan. They had used a range of racist labels and rhetoric to target El-Sayed ahead of the midterm elections, which he was contesting against Trump’s handpicked candidate, Mike Rogers. Trump mocked his name, and said that as president, he could call the Michigan physician and former public health official anything he wanted.

Trump called El-Sayed a “jihadist”, while Vance described him as a “psychopath”. “Donald, I know you struggle with my name, so when JD swears me in, you can call me ‘senator’. May we never have to see the likes of you in Michigan again.” “To all the parents who struggled to explain why the president openly mocks someone for their name or how they pray, let them know tomorrow that the bad guys lost,” he said in his victory speech.

Political analyst Rami Khouri says Abdul El-Sayed’s election to the US Senate could mark a historic turning point in attitudes towards Muslim and Arab Americans.