Shafaq News- Washington

Two doctors of Arab descent, Abdul El-Sayed and Adam Hamawy, won seats in the 2026 US midterm elections on Wednesday, representing Michigan and New Jersey, respectively.

Preliminary results showed Democrats winning 228 seats in the House of Representatives, compared with 139 for Republicans. In the Senate, Democrats secured 54 seats, while Republicans won 44, with vote counting still underway in several House districts.

Abdul El-Sayed

El-Sayed, 42, is a physician and epidemiologist who previously headed the Wayne County Department of Health in Michigan. He first ran for statewide office in 2018, finishing second in the Democratic primary for governor with more than 340,000 votes. He launched his Senate campaign in April 2025 and secured the party's nomination in August 2026, defeating US Representative Haley Stevens.

His campaign prioritized lowering living costs, expanding access to healthcare, and curbing corporate influence in politics. He faced repeated criticism from US President Donald Trump and other Republicans over his Muslim background, alongside allegations of ties to extremism and the Muslim Brotherhood, which he denied.

El-Sayed accused his opponents of using his faith to divide voters rather than address issues such as the cost of living and access to healthcare.

Adam Hamawy

Born in Cairo, Hamawy, 57, moved to the United States with his family when he was seven months old and grew up in New Jersey. He earned his medical degree and an MBA from Rutgers University before joining the US Army as a physician and surgeon. During eight years of military service, including a deployment in Baghdad during the Iraq War, he helped save the life of then-US Senator Tammy Duckworth after her helicopter was shot down in 2004. He retired in 2011 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After leaving the military, Hamawy opened a private plastic surgery practice in Princeton in 2013 while continuing his humanitarian work through volunteer missions in conflict and disaster zones across several countries. His medical missions included trips to Gaza in 2024 and 2025, where he treated people wounded in the war.

A Democrat, he campaigned on improving healthcare and education, opposing US military involvement abroad and redirecting public spending toward domestic needs.