Topline
Progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary against Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich.—the latest test of the left flank’s influence in the party after a string of high-profile wins this primary season.
Key Facts
El-Sayed won 48.5% of votes when the race was called by the Associated Press Wednesday morning with 99% of votes counted, compared to 47.5% for Stevens.
The race was much closer than expected as most polls leading up to election day showed El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and former public health official, leading by double digits.
El-Sayed declared victory early Wednesday, after NBC called the race, but hours before the results were finalized by the Associated Press, writing on X, “We won. I am so proud to be your Democratic nominee for US Senate. Let's win in November.”
He will go on to face Trump-backed former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who lost a Senate race to Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., in 2024.
The winner of the general election contest will replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in what Cook Political Report rates as a toss-up contest.
The primary pitted the party’s progressive wing against establishment Democrats—El-Sayed was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Stevens.
Big Number
- That’s the number of Senate races rated toss-ups by Cook Political Report, including the contest in Michigan. The three others are held by Republicans, who currently hold a 53-47majority in the Senate.
Tangent
Stevens is heavily backed by groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee as support for Israel has become a flashpoint in the race. El-Sayed has accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza and has criticized U.S. aid to Israel. Stevens has voted for continuing U.S. military aid to Israel, but has also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and denounced any notion that her votes in Congress are influenced by pro-Israel campaign donations.
Key Background
A victory for El-Sayed would be among several for progressives this midterm cycle. In June, three candidates backed by New York City’s Democratic Socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries in New York, ousting two incumbents, Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman. In Colorado last month, Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros defeated 15-term Rep. Diana Gette in a Democratic congressional primary. El-Sayed, however, rejects the socialist label and instead bills himself as a progressive.