Politicians with immediate family roots in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria secured major victories in the 2026 United States midterm elections, breaking national barriers and expanding the African diaspora’s presence in American government.
- Abdul El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, became the first Muslim elected to the 100-member US Senate.
- Ethiopia-born Melat Kiros became Congress’s first Gen Z woman and the first Black woman elected to Congress from Colorado.
- Egyptian-born Adam Hamawy became the first Muslim elected to Congress from New Jersey.
- Ghanaian- and Nigerian-rooted politicians also secured congressional, county and state offices, although not all represented historic firsts.The most consequential victory came in Michigan, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers for an open US Senate seat.
- El-Sayed, who was born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, will become the first Muslim to serve in the US Senate. The Associated Press called the result a national first and confirmed that his victory kept the seat under Democratic control.
- Two African-born candidates also established new records in the House of Representatives. Ethiopia-born Melat Kiros became the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress, while Egyptian-born Adam Hamawy became the first Muslim elected to Congress from New Jersey.
The most consequential victory came in Michigan, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers for an open US Senate seat.
El-Sayed, who was born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, will become the first Muslim to serve in the US Senate. The Associated Press called the result a national first and confirmed that his victory kept the seat under Democratic control.
Two African-born candidates also established new records in the House of Representatives. Ethiopia-born Melat Kiros became the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress, while Egyptian-born Adam Hamawy became the first Muslim elected to Congress from New Jersey.
BBC Africa highlighted the wider group of African-rooted candidates who prevailed in the elections. A closer look at official results and candidate records, however, shows that only some established documented electoral firsts; the others won consequential new offices or retained existing seats.
Not every African-rooted winner made electoral history. Three crossed clearly documented national or state-level milestones, while others secured significant new positions or won re-election to seats they already held.
The Senate has only 100 members, with two representing each state. Senators approve federal judges, cabinet appointments and US ambassadors. They also vote on trade legislation, international development funding and foreign-policy appointments that can affect Washington’s relationship with Africa.
El-Sayed, 42, previously led Detroit’s health department and sought Michigan’s governorship in 2018. His campaign prioritised healthcare, housing costs and reducing the influence of large political donors.
His victory made him the first Muslim elected to the Senate in US history—not merely Michigan’s first Muslim senator.
The result also attracted attention in Egypt. El-Sayed was born in the United States, but both his parents emigrated from Egypt, and he has publicly discussed spending parts of his childhood in Alexandria.
Ethiopia-born Melat Kiros establishes two congressional firsts
In Colorado, 29-year-old Melat Kiros won the First Congressional District, which covers most of Denver.
Kiros was born in Addis Ababa and moved to Colorado with her family when she was 11 months old. She later studied political science and economics before qualifying as a lawyer.
Her election established two independently documented firsts: she is the first woman from Generation Z elected to Congress and the first Black woman Colorado has elected to the US House.
She is not the first Gen Z member of Congress. That distinction belongs to Florida Representative Maxwell Frost, elected in 2022. Kiros’s specific record is being the first Gen Z woman to win a congressional seat.
Kiros received about 78% of the reported vote in the strongly Democratic district. The victory followed her defeat of 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary, making the primary upset more politically significant than the relatively predictable general-election result.
The new congresswoman campaigned heavily on housing costs, healthcare, childcare and what she described as a widening divide between younger working Americans and the country’s political establishment.
Egyptian-born surgeon becomes New Jersey’s first Muslim congressman
Adam Hamawy won New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, becoming the first Muslim elected to Congress from the state.
Hamawy was born in Egypt and moved to the United States as a baby. He grew up in New Jersey and later became a surgeon and US Army National Guard officer.
His medical and military career brought him national recognition before he entered politics. While serving as a combat trauma surgeon in Iraq, Hamawy helped treat Tammy Duckworth after the helicopter carrying her was shot down. Duckworth later became a US senator.
Hamawy defeated Republican Gregg Mele and will succeed retiring Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman when the new Congress begins in January 2027.
Unlike El-Sayed, Hamawy is not the first Muslim elected to the House nationally. His verified distinction is that he will become New Jersey’s first Muslim member of Congress.
