04.11.2026 11:00
Abdul El-Sayed, elected to the Senate from Michigan, became the first Muslim elected to the Senate in US history. His election victory and the heated argument he had with a Sky News reporter resonated widely.
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, elected senator from the state of Michigan, became the first Muslim elected to the Senate in the country's history with his election victory. The heated argument that the 42-year-old politician, who made headlines with his historic achievement, had with British Sky News reporter James Matthews on election night also drew attention.
El-Sayed, who earned the right to enter the Senate by defeating his Republican rival Mike Rogers, did not want to answer the journalist's questions. Reacting to the Sky News reporter's attempt to speak with him, El-Sayed first asked Matthews whether he was registered to vote in the state of Michigan.
After the journalist stated that he had no voter registration in the state, El-Sayed said that he did not care about votes coming from the United Kingdom.
Making a zero sign with his hands, El-Sayed said, “Do you know how many votes I will get in the United Kingdom? Zero. I will never run for political office in the United Kingdom. That is why I really do not care what you think or what questions you ask.”
Sky News reporter Matthews, for his part, responded to El-Sayed by stating that the channel reaches viewers worldwide. However, the politician elected senator did not agree with this statement.
Claiming that Sky News is not watched in the US, El-Sayed alleged that the channel is followed by only five people in the country.
El-Sayed's election victory is also significant in that it marks a first in US political history. El-Sayed, who became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate by winning the race in Michigan, defeated Republican Mike Rogers and ensured that the Democrats kept the Senate seat in the state.