El-Sayed’s Senate Win Sparks Arab Celebrations

Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate victory has prompted celebrations among Arab communities in the United States and across the Middle East, where supporters welcomed the prominence of Arabic expressions in American politics. In his victory speech, he called Vice President JD Vance “habibi” and pointed out that Vance would be constitutionally required to swear him in, turning a campaign-season criticism into a pointed joke. The phrase, which can mean “my beloved” or “buddy,” had already featured on campaign shirts, while El-Sayed also joked that “inshallah” (“God willing”) had become “hamdulillah” (“thank God”). Social media users shared Arabic music, memes and other cultural references, celebrating his embrace of his Egyptian heritage and faith after a campaign marked by Islamophobic rhetoric.