Michigan Senator-Elect To Address Arab American Conference In Northern Virginia

NORTHERN VIRGINIA, VA – Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed will address the Arab America Foundation’s CONNECT Empowerment Summit in Chantilly this weekend, the group announced.

El-Sayed, a Democrat, will address public service, leadership and empowerment, the foundation said in a release.

“An Egyptian American physician, epidemiologist, Rhodes Scholar, author, and public servant, El-Sayed has dedicated his career to public health and community leadership. ... His journey from medicine and public health to the national political stage reflects the expanding contributions of Arab Americans to American society,” the release said.

El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers on Tuesday after a very narrow primary victory against Congresswoman Haley Stevens in August. Both races were bitterly fought, and El-Sayed's heritage was consistently raised.

El-Sayed made affordability issues, in particular Medicare for All, a central theme of his campaign. He also advocated for a “sensible foreign policy” that would include an immediate arms embargo on Israel, ending “blank check” funding for other foreign militaries, ratcheting down tensions with China and other proposals.

El-Sayed was repeatedly asked about his position on Israel during the primary and general election and was called a “jihadist” by President Donald Trump and other Republicans over the course of his campaign.

His primary opponent and fellow Democrat Stevens abruptly withdrew her endorsement of him and endorsed Rogers days before the general election after El-Sayed rejected her continued demands that he condemn what she termed “antisemitic” third-party ads.

Stevens was swiftly kicked out of the Michigan Democratic Party and several of her Congressional staff resigned.

In his victory speech Tuesday night, El-Sayed said his campaign had fought foes who sought to "deceive and distract" voters using his religion and Arab name.

"At first, they pointed to my name and my faith, as if to say, "He's a little different." And when that didn't work, they tried to guilt me by association. And when that didn't work, they went all in on one of the ugliest campaigns we've seen in our lifetimes," he said.

"They might have been pointing to my name and my faith, but we all know that my name and my faith aren't the reason you can't afford your gas, not the reason you can't afford your groceries, not the reason you can't see a doctor."

He countered that "America is big enough for all of us."

The CONNECT Empowerment Summit has been held every year since 2021 and has featured speakers including Congressman Ro Khanna, Congresswoman Rashia Tlaib and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, among many others. According to organizers, more than 400 people from 20 states attended last year.

The Arab America Foundation is a non-profit educational and cultural organization established in 2019 with a mission of promoting Arab heritage, educating Americans about the Arab identity and connecting Arab American individuals and organizations.