Abdul El-Sayed launches 'Habibi PAC' after Senate win
The new committee is a leadership PAC meant to fund political allies, and its name comes from an Arabic word meaning 'my beloved.'
Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has set up a political action committee called "Habibi PAC" a few days after his US Senate victory, Anadolu Agency reported on Saturday.
Filing records with the Federal Election Commission list the group as a leadership PAC, a fundraising committee run apart from his campaign to support political allies.
The committee takes its name from the Arabic word "habibi," meaning "my beloved," a term that became well known during his campaign and among his supporters.
In his victory speech, El-Sayed used the word while speaking to Vice President JD Vance, saying "JD, habibi," and noted that Vance would be required by the Constitution to swear him in during January.
El-Sayed, who openly campaigned on his Muslim identity, faced repeated attacks over his religion, including from President Donald Trump, who called him a "jihadist."
Republican candidate Mike Rogers also tried to link El-Sayed to extremist groups, though the report said no established connection existed.
The Democrat won by a wide margin in Michigan, a swing state that could play an important role in the 2028 presidential election.
Leadership PACs allow officeholders to raise money and back other candidates and party causes, and they are a common way for politicians to keep influence after a campaign ends.
Michigan has been a closely watched battleground in recent national elections, so the outcome of its Senate race is drawing attention well beyond the state.
El-Sayed, a physician and public health official, previously ran for governor of Michigan in 2018 before turning to the Senate race.
