Abdul El-Sayed took the stage in Michigan with vote totals still coming in, but the night was already tilting hard in his direction. NBC News projected that he had won a U.S. Senate seat, giving Democrats another crucial pickup as they moved to take control of Congress.
The Michigan result landed as part of a wider Democratic sweep that stretched well beyond one race. NBC News also projected that Democrats had won the Senate, a turn of events that put the party on course to run both chambers of Congress.
El-Sayed addressed supporters while the numbers continued to roll in, drawing cheers from a crowd watching the contest tighten into a decisive outcome. His victory adds to a night in which Democrats secured gains in several states, including Michigan, Maine, Ohio and Kansas.
In Maine, Troy Jackson was projected to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. In Ohio, Sherrod Brown won his Senate race, while Adam Hamilton was projected to win in Kansas. The results marked a sharp shift in the balance of power and underscored how broadly Democrats were performing across the map.
The night also produced gubernatorial wins for Democrats in Ohio and Texas, further widening the party’s reach. N...