Abdul El-Sayed defeats Aipac-backed rival in Michigan Democratic Senate primary, NBC reports

Progressive advocate Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Michigan on Wednesday, defeating Congresswoman Haley Stevens in a race that became one of the most expensive and closely watched primaries in US history.

NBC News projected El-Sayed's victory late on Tuesday after a bruising campaign in which more than $60m was spent, much of it by outside groups seeking to block his path to the Senate.

As of 08:30 BST, NBC reported that El-Sayed had received 48.7 percent of the votes to Stevens' 47.3 percent, with 92.9 percent expected votes tallied.

Shortly after NBC made the announcement, Mallory McMorrow, a state legislator who was in the US Senate race but dropped out weeks before the elections, endorsed El-Sayed.

The result is being viewed as a major setback for pro-Israel lobbying groups, particularly the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), which spent more than $30m backing Stevens in an effort to unseat one of the Democratic Party's most outspoken pro-Palestinian candidates.

El-Sayed touted his narrow lead as results started to trickle in early on Wednesday, but said there was still a big fight to come.

"I wish I could tell you that I was declaring victory right about now," he told his supporters at a watch party in Detroit.

If declared the winner, the 41-year-old doctor will face former Republican congressman Mike Rogers in November in what is expected to be one of the country's most competitive Senate races.

The contest could help determine control of the Senate during the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

"I know you’re listening, Mike. Mike, we are coming for you," El-Sayed added.

The projected victory marks a watershed moment for progressive Democrats and Arab American voters, who rallied behind El-Sayed after months of organising around opposition to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza and frustration with the Democratic Party's traditional alignment with pro-Israel advocacy groups.

Throughout the campaign, El-Sayed accused Aipac and affiliated political action committees of attempting to "buy" the election with unprecedented outside spending.

Stevens rejected suggestions that she was beholden to outside interests, arguing that she had a strong record of delivering for Michigan.

El-Sayed also described Israel's military campaign in Gaza as a genocide, echoing language used by many human rights organisations and Palestinian advocates but rejected by Israel and successive US administrations.

He also argued that billions of dollars in US military assistance to Israel should instead be invested in healthcare, affordable housing, education and infrastructure at home.

His position resonated strongly with many voters in Michigan who played a crucial role in organising against former President Joe Biden during the 2024 election over his strong support for the war on Gaza.