Michigan is staying blue as Republicans’ hopes of flipping the state and gaining some breathing room in their thin majority were crushed.
asserted
hopes → stay → majority
Abdul El-Sayed, who became the veritable face of this midterm cycle acting as the GOP’s boogeyman for Democratic policies across the country, is projected to topple former Rep. Mike Rogers in what was one of the most-watched contests of the election.
asserted
what → become → election
In his victory speech, El-Sayed thanked AIPAC, which spent roughly $42 million running a campaign against him, for allowing him the opportunity to beat the American-Isreali interest PAC twice.
asserted
which → thank → PAC
El-Sayed celebrated his victory by invoking the Arabic phrase "alhamdulillah" which means "praise be to God."
asserted
praise → celebrate → God
The progressive candidate also issued a warning shot to his defeated opponent Rogers.
asserted
candidate → issue → opponent
"Enjoy your retirement," El-Sayed said of the Republican candidate.
asserted
Sayed → enjoy → candidate
"You chose hate, and Michigan chose hope.
asserted
Michigan → choose → hope
May we never have to see the likes of you in this state again."
uncertain
we → have → state
Meanwhile, close to around 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Rogers called on his supporters to go home, sharing that it was going to be a "long night."
asserted
it → call → supporters
Organizers shared with the Detroit News that the hotel needed them out by that time.
asserted
hotel → share → time
Throughout the campaign, El-Sayed outran alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, concerns about his rhetoric over Israel and Jewish voters in Michigan and criticism from fellow Democrats for his ties to controversial political streamer Hasan Piker.
asserted
Sayed → outrun → Piker
Rogers failed to outrun the political headwinds that have buffeted Republicans this cycle, including affordability issues, President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada launched in the thick of the midterms, and the Iran war, despite his attempts to distance himself and the administration from the latter issues.
asserted
that → fail → issues
El-Sayed’s victory serves as a major blow to the GOP’s push against the progressive lean in Democratic politics, where for much of the cycle after his shock win over Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., Republicans painted him as the face of socialism and communism in their messaging.
asserted
Republicans → serve → messaging
His faith has been used as a line of attack by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who last month during a rally in Michigan accused El-Sayed of being a "jihadist" that would "have to go through a metal detector before he's allowed to go into the Senate.
asserted
he → use → Senate
"
"If Abdul and the Democrats win, they will open the floodgates and invite hordes of jihadis to our shores, creating a nightmare of violence and terror until you cannot even have a Christmas," Trump said.
asserted
Trump → win → Christmas
Rogers similarly dipped into the same style of rhetoric, arguing to a crowd in Bad Axe, Mich., just days before the election that "This is not someone we can let into the United States Senate.
asserted
we → dip → Senate
"
"If you don't know Iran is our enemy, and you can't condemn a Hezbollah-inspired attack, you have no business being in the United States Senate," Rogers said.
asserted
Rogers → know → Senate
While Rogers and Republicans have run a national campaign against El-Sayed, the insurgent progressive has taken his own jabs at Trump, but largely ran a campaign focused on affordability issues in Michigan.
"They want to point to me and my name and my faith as if somehow that’s the problem, but none of those things are what’s raising your gas prices or making a new home unaffordable," El-Sayed told reporters last month.
asserted
Sayed → run → reporters
The race attracted big names in both parties to stump for their respective candidates, with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and others making the pilgrimage to Michigan for Rogers.
asserted
Trump → attract → Rogers
And Democratic heavyweights like former President Barack Obama, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., did the same for El-Sayed.
asserted
heavyweights → do → Sayed
But El-Sayed’s win does not mean he will jump on board with the Democratic old guard in Washington, D.C.
asserted
he → mean → Washington
Like other progressives running for the Senate, he’s been publicly critical of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and would prefer Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., to lead Democrats in the Senate.
asserted
Hollen → run → Senate
The Aporia
