Former State Rep. Aiyash Runs for State Senate Seat

Aiyash aims to fill the seat of termed-out Sen. Erika Geiss in newly formed District 1.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Former State Rep. Abraham Aiyash, who was the first Yemeni-American to serve in the Michigan legislature, is running for a state Senate seat. Aiyash, a Democrat, is one of at least two candidates vying for the seat of Sen. Erika Geiss, who will be termed out at the end of this year. Aiyash has amassed a sizable campaign war chest of over $100,000 and is confident in his chances of winning the race.

Why it matters

Aiyash's candidacy is significant as he would be the first Yemeni-American to serve in the state Senate, continuing his trailblazing political career. The race for the newly formed Senate District 1, which covers parts of Detroit and the Downriver area, is also important as it could shift the balance of power in the state legislature.

The details

To run in this election, Aiyash moved out of Hamtramck to reside within the new Senate District 1. While serving two terms in the state House, Aiyash was appointed Floor Majority Leader and steered millions in grants to Hamtramck. He also was a champion of LGBTQ rights, despite facing some backlash from Hamtramck's socially conservative Muslim population. Aiyash's top Democratic challenger at this time is Justin Onwenu, an attorney who is the Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity for the City of Detroit.

  • Aiyash decided not to seek re-election as a state representative a couple of years ago to position himself to run for state senator.
  • Sen. Erika Geiss, whose seat Aiyash is running for, will be termed out at the end of this year.
  • Aiyash held a campaign fundraiser in Detroit's Corktown this week to officially kick off his Senate campaign.

The players

Abraham Aiyash

Former State Representative who is now running for a seat in the Michigan State Senate. Aiyash was the first Yemeni-American to serve in the state legislature.

Erika Geiss

Democratic State Senator whose seat Aiyash is running for. Geiss will be termed out at the end of this year.

Justin Onwenu

Attorney who is the Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity for the City of Detroit, and is Aiyash's top Democratic challenger in the Senate race so far.

Stephanie Chang

State Senator who has represented nearly every part of the newly formed Senate District 1 that Aiyash is running for, and is backing his campaign.

Donavan McKinney

State Representative who Aiyash is backing in McKinney's run to unseat Congressman Shri Thanedar.

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What they’re saying

“I feel good about where we'll end up. We've won tough races before, and I have Sen. (Stephanie) Chang's backing, who has represented nearly every part of this district in her tenure as a legislator.”

— Abraham Aiyash (The Review)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Aiyash's candidacy for the state Senate seat represents the continued growth of diverse political representation in Michigan, as he would be the first Yemeni-American to serve in the state Senate. The race for the newly formed District 1 seat is also an important one that could shift the balance of power in the legislature.