Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, who ran on getting money out of politics, has launched his own political money committee to raise cash for his allies.
Story Highlights
- El-Sayed won Michigan’s U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, November 3, after a campaign built on the slogan “money out of politics.”
- Three days later, federal filings show he set up Habibi PAC, a leadership PAC that he sponsors.
- “Habibi” is a word he used often on the campaign trail, including in his victory speech, when he aimed it at Vice President JD Vance.
- The committee is separate from his campaign and is meant to raise money for his political allies, according to reports.
- No fundraising totals, donors or spending have been reported yet; the first reports will come in the PAC’s federal filings.
What Was Filed and When
On Friday, November 6, El-Sayed launched Habibi PAC, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings. The FEC is the federal agency that oversees campaign money. The PAC’s paperwork, called a Statement of Organization, is dated Thursday, November 5, and lists El-Sayed as its sponsor. Its purpose, according to reports, is to raise money for his political allies, through a committee that is not tied to his own campaign.
The filing says the PAC will support or oppose more than one federal candidate. That lets it spread money across many races in future elections. The FEC’s own page for El-Sayed lists Habibi PAC as a leadership PAC he sponsors.
El-Sayed is a doctor and the son of Egyptian immigrants. He defeated Republican Mike Rogers and will be the first Muslim member of the U.S. Senate. “Habibi” is an Arabic word meaning “my dear.” He used it often on the campaign trail, including in his victory speech, when he aimed it at Vice President JD Vance.
What He Said on the Campaign Trail
Money in politics was at the center of El-Sayed’s run. “Money out of politics” was printed on many of his yard signs. In a campaign ad released on Tuesday, June 30, he promised, “I’ll get money out of politics to get more money in your pocket.” His campaign also billed him as the only Senate candidate, Democrat or Republican, who had never taken a check from a corporate PAC.
In his victory speech, El-Sayed said that in a fight between money and the many, “the many can win.” Days later, he opened a committee whose job is to collect money and hand it out to other politicians.
Reports did not include any statement from El-Sayed about why he set up the PAC.
How Leadership PACs Work
A leadership PAC is a political committee run by a federal candidate or officeholder that is separate from his own campaign account, according to the FEC. Lawmakers use these committees to give money to other candidates, pay for travel and events, and build loyalty among colleagues. That loyalty can help them win leadership posts or seats on powerful committees.
Leadership PACs are common in both parties. Leadership PACs gave $79.3 million to federal candidates in the 2024 election cycle, according to reports. Several other newly elected Democrats have also set up leadership PACs since the November 3 vote, including North Carolina Senator-elect Roy Cooper and Iowa Senator-elect Josh Turek.
What sets El-Sayed apart is the message he ran on. A candidate who told voters he would get money out of politics is, days after winning, building a committee to move money into politics on his own terms.
What Comes Next
The PAC’s first required reports to the FEC will show who gives to it, how much it raises, and which candidates get the money. So far, the filings show only the committee’s setup and its sponsor. No donors or payments have been reported.
Why Conservatives Should Pay Attention
Money moves power in Washington. A leadership PAC lets a new senator reward allies, help like-minded candidates win, and build a voting bloc inside his party. As that money grows, so does his pull over which bills move and which nominees get backed.
That can shape fights over the border, energy, spending and gun rights for years. Voters can track every dollar in the public FEC reports for Habibi PAC: who gives, where the money goes, and which candidates benefit. Those reports will show whether “money out of politics” was a promise or a slogan.
Sources:
pjmedia.com, thehill.com, aljazeera.com, fec.gov, docquery.fec.gov, bernama.com, ummid.com
