Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s open US Senate seat on Tuesday, according to media projections, becoming the first ​Muslim elected to the chamber while preserving a crucial Democratic ‌seat in the party’s fight for Senate control.

Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, that El-Sayed’s victory in the closely contested election marked a breakthrough for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing and denied Republicans ​a chance to flip the seat of retiring Democratic Senator ​Gary Peters.

El-Sayed, 42, a former public health official, focused on ⁠lowering costs for working families and reducing corporate influence in politics. ​His platform included Medicare for All, a government-funded universal healthcare program ​championed by progressives in his party.