Michigan senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed.
Abdul El-Sayed, the Michigan senator-elect who campaigned on reducing the influence of money in politics, has registered a political action committee days after becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
Al Jazeera reported that Arizona Congressman-elect Amish Shah registered PACStreet Boy, Iowa Senator-elect Josh Turek launched WheelPAC, and North Carolina Senator-elect Roy Cooper registered One NC PAC.
Named “Habibi PAC”, the committee was registered with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday as a leadership PAC sponsored by El-Sayed, according to Al Jazeera. “The many can win,” he said, describing the outcome as a contest between money and the people. “JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January,” El-Sayed said. They are also used by politicians seeking to develop influence within their parties and strengthen their chances of securing leadership roles or committee chairmanships, according to OpenSecrets, as cited by the news outlet.
Such committees allow politicians to raise money independently of their election campaigns and use it to support other candidates, political organisations and activities. The registration comes after El-Sayed used his victory speech to argue that ordinary voters could overcome the influence of wealthy interests. He also directed the expression at Vice President JD Vance during his victory speech in Detroit. He is not the only newly elected Democrat to establish a leadership PAC after Tuesday’s election. These committees can help lawmakers build political networks by contributing to other candidates and party organisations.