Progressive El-Sayed Wins Democratic Nomination in Michigan Senate Race

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed beat more moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens in a squeaker to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan.The Michigan Senate race has become a kind of bellwether for the future of the Democratic Party, as Ms. Stevens — backed by the party’s establishment and tens of millions of dollars in outside spending — and Dr. El-Sayed — supported by progressives from across the country — battled to be a standard bearer in a must-win Senate race this year. If Democrats lose the Michigan race in November, there is virtually no path for the party to retake Senate control come next year. Dr. El-Sayed, at his election night party, praised his supporters for turning out the vote despite the tens of millions of dollars that were spent against him by outside groups in the primary this year. The major dividing line in the Michigan primary has been the story of a progressive insurgency exemplified by Dr. El-Sayed and a more moderate establishment embodied by Ms. Stevens. Many political commentators have remarked that the El-Sayed–Stevens primary is a redux of the 2016 presidential primary between secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders. Ms. Stevens touted the support of many of Michigan’s most notable Democrats, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senator Gary Peters, and a former senator, Debbie Stabenow. The state’s attorney general, Dana Nessel, and leaders of the state’s Democratic Party also endorsed Ms. Stevens. Dr. El-Sayed, who ran for governor against Ms. Whitmer in 2018, drew on support from the nation’s best-known progressive lawmakers. Mr. Sanders, Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, and other prominent members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus all backed Dr. El-Sayed’s campaign. Dr. El-Sayed has run on an unabashedly left-wing platform. He wants to establish a universal healthcare system, institute an arms embargo on Israel, and hike taxes on America’s wealthiest. Ms. Stevens, meanwhile, has tacked more toward the center — supporting a public option for health insurance and advocating for additional American support for the Jewish state. Michigan will be one of the most-watched states in the 2026 midterms. Republicans have nominated a former lawmaker, Congressman Mike Rogers, who has raised millions of dollars for his candidacy. National Republicans, too, believe that Michigan is a prime pick-up opportunity for the GOP this year.

Progressive El-Sayed Wins Democratic Nomination in Michigan Senate Race

Progressive El-Sayed Wins Democratic Nomination in Michigan Senate Race

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