Ilhan Omar hails historic milestone as eight Muslims head to Congress

• Ilhan Omar congratulated Abdul El-Sayed on becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
• El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Nov. 3 midterm elections.
• Omar said eight Muslims would now serve in Congress, including one senator and seven House members.

Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has celebrated the election of Abdul El-Sayed to the US Senate, saying his victory would bring the number of Muslims serving in Congress to eight, marking a milestone for Muslim American political representation.

In a post on X, Omar congratulated El-Sayed, who defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's November 3 midterm elections, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.

“Congratulations, Abdul El-Sayed. You turned that inshallah into alhamdulillah,” Omar wrote, using two Arabic expressions commonly translated as “God willing” and “praise be to God.”

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude knowing that we will now have 8 Muslims serving in Congress,” she added.

The post came as Muslim candidates secured victories in several congressional races, including El-Sayed's historic Senate win. The eight-member group comprises one senator and seven House members.

El-Sayed, 42, is a physician and former director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The son of Egyptian immigrants, he previously ran for Michigan governor in 2018 before entering the 2026 Senate race.

He won the Democratic nomination in August, defeating US Representative Haley Stevens and state Senator Mallory McMorrow in a closely watched primary. In the general election, he defeated Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent who had President Donald Trump's endorsement. 

His campaign focused on healthcare access, reducing living costs and limiting corporate influence in politics. He also opposed unconditional US military aid to ‘Israel’ and described its military campaign in Gaza as genocide, positions that became major points of contention during the race. 

The campaign also drew national attention after Trump and Republican allies questioned El-Sayed's loyalties and alleged links to extremist groups, claims he rejected and for which Reuters reported no supporting evidence. Democrats criticized the attacks as Islamophobic.

Muslim lawmakers include El-Sayed, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, André Carson, Lateefah Simon, Adam Hamawy, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Aisha Wahab. Their victories and re-election bids mark a milestone for Muslim representation in Congress, with El-Sayed becoming the first Muslim elected to the Senate.

Keith Ellison became the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2006, paving the way for subsequent Muslim lawmakers, including Omar, Tlaib and Carson.

Omar ended her message by reflecting on the barriers Muslim candidates have faced in American politics: “They told us we couldn't speak up, couldn't challenge the status quo, and couldn't make it this far. But we did. Alhamdulillah.”

Congratulations, Abdul El-Sayed. You turned that inshallah into alhamdulillah. I am overwhelmed with gratitude knowing that we will now have 8 Muslims serving in Congress. They told us we couldn't speak up, couldn't challenge the status quo, and couldn't make it this far. But we did. Alhamdulillah.

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 4, 2026