Former Muslim Brotherhood Spokesman Celebrates El-Sayed’s Senate Victory

A former Egyptian lawmaker and spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood’s political party is celebrating Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed’s (D-Mich.) victory, hailing the Michigan result as a model for other Muslim communities and the wider Islamic world.

Abdel Mawgoud al-Dardiri published his assessment November 4 in Arabi21, an Arabic-language news outlet, after El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers. Translated from Arabic, al-Dardiri wrote:

The election of Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed El-Sayed should be an occasion for constructive pride, not merely a celebration of one individual’s victory. It should prompt reflection on the responsibility that accompanies this achievement and on how to turn it into a model for participation, giving, and service to society.

He described the election of El-Sayed as an example of Muslims “working from within the political system.” Al-Dardiri wrote:

“Electing a Muslim figure reflects the importance of participating in democratic institutions, working from within the political system, and engaging with different parts of society. Citizenship is not complete simply through enjoying rights. It is also strengthened by assuming responsibilities, participating in decision-making, and respecting diversity and pluralism.”

The Atlantic Council identified al-Dardiri as a Muslim Brotherhood member and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) lawmaker in a 2015 report on an Egyptian delegation visiting Washington. He represented Luxor in Egypt’s 2012 Parliament.

Al-Dardiri identified himself as a spokesman for the Freedom and Justice Party’s foreign relations committee in testimony to the UK’s Parliament. A 2013 coup removed Egypt’s then-President Mohamed Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood leaders from power.

Al-Dardiri, identified in campaign finance records by the Washington Free Beacon, holds his PhD in “Euro-centrism versus Islamism” and has worked as a professor in Minnesota. He donated $500 to El-Sayed’s campaign in June 2026, according to FEC records. 

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has been the target of U.S. terrorism sanctions. In January of this year, the Treasury Department designated the Egyptian and Jordanian Brotherhood branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, citing material support for Hamas. On January 13, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said:

The Muslim Brotherhood has a longstanding record of perpetrating acts of terror, and we are working aggressively to cut them off from the financial system. This Administration will deploy the full scope of its authorities to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat terrorist networks wherever they operate in order to keep Americans safe.

El-Sayed rejected allegations of Muslim Brotherhood ties before the election. In an October 23 interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, when asked about whether he would “walk back” a 2012 letter expressing support for the former Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt, El-Sayed accused Baier of pulling that “out of context” and asking “questions about my allegiance.” He told Baier:

“So as a journalist, if you’re asking a question about my allegiance to the constitution, I have never been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. I never will be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

At an October 17 town hall, an attendee asked whether he would disavow the organization. El-Sayed sneered, “Sure, yeah, absolutely,” according to a video documented by PolitiFact.

In addition to Israel, El-Sayed called for cutting off military aid to Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia before the election. Jordan officially banned and outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood following a terrorist plot in 2025 while both Egypt and Saudi Arabia have designated it as a terrorist organization.

Editor’s Note: Every single day, here at PJ Media, we stand up and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the radical Left and deliver the conservative reporting our readers deserve.

Help us continue to tell the truth about the Trump administration and its successes. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.