Many firsts: Muslim senator and historic governors

WASHINGTON (MNTV) – The 2026 US midterm elections produced a wave of historic firsts, reshaping who holds power from the Senate to the statehouses — and, for the first time, sending a Muslim to the edge of the US Senate.

In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is set to become the first Muslim ever elected to the US Senate, after Decision Desk HQ projected him the winner over Republican Mike Rogers; with about 80% of the vote counted, he led 51.73% to 46.28%.

The physician and former Detroit health director, whose family emigrated from Egypt, overcame a campaign of anti-Muslim attacks to claim the seat.

In New York, Aber Kawas announced that she had won a Queens state Senate seat, making her the first Palestinian Muslim woman elected to the New York State legislature — a milestone of the new, Gaza-era generation of organizers turning protest into political power.

The night’s firsts extended well beyond Muslim America.

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman elected to the top office of any US state, and returning the governorship to Democrats after more than two decades of Republican control.

In New Mexico, Deb Haaland — the former US interior secretary and a member of the Laguna Pueblo — became the first Native American woman elected governor.

In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa became the state’s first Latina governor.

More firsts could still follow as votes are counted.

Native American women were also competing for US Senate seats in Alaska and Minnesota, and several governor’s races were poised to elect women for the first time in their states.

In the US House, where Democrats were seeking to seize the majority, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries would become the first Black Speaker of the House in American history if his party wins control and elects him to the post.

Taken together, the results marked one of the most diverse classes of winners in recent memory.

For Muslim and Palestinian Americans in particular, the night built on a record cycle: MNTV has identified at least 51 Muslim Americans on the ballot nationwide, and Tuesday’s results have already produced a string of victories, including the reelection of Rep. Rashida Tlaib in Michigan, Darializa Avila Chevalier’s election to the US House in New York, and Nabeela Syed’s flip of a Republican-held Illinois state Senate seat.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more races are called.