Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, days after winning his state’s U.S. Senate race, has formed a new leadership political action committee called Habibi PAC, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

The PAC, established Thursday, is structured as a leadership committee independent of El-Sayed’s campaign. Leadership PACs allow elected officials to raise and distribute money to support other candidates and political allies rather than fund their own elections. The move signals El-Sayed’s intention to build influence within the Democratic Party beyond his own Senate seat.

The name draws from Arabic. “Habibi” is a term of endearment meaning “my beloved,” often used casually among friends or family. El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants and a former public health official, frequently used the word during the campaign. Supporters wore shirts reading “Habibi for Abdul.” In his victory speech early Wednesday morning in Detroit, he addressed Vice President JD Vance directly: “JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January.”

El-Sayed defeated his Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, by roughly seven percentage points in Tuesday’s midterm election, securing the open seat previously held by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The victory makes El-Sayed the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He campaigned as a progressive, emphasizing issues such as healthcare costs, economic pressures, and criticism of certain foreign aid priorities, while facing substantial outside spending opposing him. His win helped Democrats gain or retain ground in a competitive battleground state amid a broader national shift.

The formation of Habibi PAC comes as El-Sayed positions himself as a rising figure in Democratic politics. Michigan is expected to be a key state in the 2028 presidential cycle, and the senator-elect’s early establishment of a vehicle for supporting allies could allow him to play a role in future primaries and down-ballot races.

El-Sayed’s campaign and early post-election moves have drawn attention for both the historic nature of his win and his use of personal cultural language in national political discourse. The Habibi PAC filing is the latest indication that he intends to remain active in party-building efforts after taking office in January.