A record seven Muslim candidates have been elected to the United States Congress in the midterm elections, including the first Muslim ever to win a seat in the Senate.

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, 42, won Michigan's open Senate seat, defeating Republican Mike Rogers. The Associated Press called the race in the early hours of Wednesday 4 November, and El-Sayed becomes the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber in American history.

Six Muslims were elected to the House of Representatives, beating the previous high of five Muslims serving in Congress at the same time.

Two more firsts in the House

Two of the seven are newcomers. In New Jersey, Egyptian-American surgeon Adam Hamawy won the 12th Congressional District, becoming the first Muslim elected to represent the state in Congress. Hamawy, a former US Army combat surgeon, defeated Republican Greg Mele.

In New York, Darializa Avila Chevalier won the 13th Congressional District, becoming the first Latina Muslim woman elected to Congress. The Dominican-American civil rights organiser defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Adriano Espaillat in the primary.

Four incumbents return

Four Muslim members of the House won re-election. Rashida Tlaib secured a fifth term in Michigan's 12th District, Ilhan Omar a fifth term in Minnesota's 5th District, André Carson held Indiana's 7th District, and Lateefah Simon held California's 12th District.

The total could still rise to eight. Aisha Wahab, elected to Congress in an August special election, was leading the race for a full term in California's 14th District when the count was last reported, with the Associated Press yet to call it.

Keith Ellison, now Minnesota's attorney general, was the first Muslim elected to Congress, in 2006. More than 160 Muslims ran for office in these midterms, up from 145 in 2022, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations.