Abdul El-Sayed won the Michigan Democratic primary election to contest one of the state's two Senate seats. He is just the latest progressive upstart to upset the game plan of the Democratic party's centrist establishment, with a platform that focused on working towards universal health care and getting corporate money out of elections… His criticism of Israel too was a flashpoint in the campaign – representing a growing shift among Democrats against what many see as an apartheid state currently carrying out a genocide while dragging the US into unnecessary wars in the Middle East. His portrait by Bryan Quinn.
The Democratic Party's progressive wing scored a high-profile victory when Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's U.S. Senate primary, according to media projections Wednesday, giving its antiestablishment message a boost ahead of November's midterm elections.
El-Sayed, whose message focused on healthcare, the economy and an end to unconditional military aid to Israel, was the first progressive to win a statewide primary in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2024. He will face Republican former congressman Mike Rogers in November.
Tuesday's vote, billed as a defining test of the party's direction, became an election-night cliff-hanger, with El-Sayed notching a narrow victory over U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate supported by Democratic leaders and pro-Israel groups.
Abdul El-Sayed takes the stage early Wednesday to talk to supporters during his election night watch party at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit.
With 99% of the estimated votes counted as of 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, El-Sayed led Stevens 48.5% to 47.5%, according to The Associated Press. The AP and CNN both called the race for El-Sayed, hours after NBC News did the same.
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"Money out of politics. Money in your pocket. Medicare for All," El-Sayed wrote on social media early Wednesday, declaring victory.
Abdul El-Sayed gives a news conference Wednesday after winning the Democratic nomination for Senate in Detroit.
Swing state
The race served as a battleground between progressives and moderates over support for Israel, an issue that has played out in primaries nationwide this year. But unlike contests in liberal bastions, this was a statewide race in a Midwestern swing state for a seat Democrats must win if they have any hopes of securing a Senate majority in November.
Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in spending by a pro-Israel super PAC, and her supporters argued she was the more electable candidate in the general election.
Analysts said one significant factor in El-Sayed's favor was that Michigan is home to some of the country's largest Arab American communities, where hostility to Israel runs deep.
The result is likely to be scrutinized by prospective 2028 presidential contenders searching for a message to reconnect with voters after the party's loss to Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Rep. Haley Stevens speaks with the media Tuesday at Shain Park in Birmingham, Mich.
El-Sayed's win could intensify debate within Democratic ranks over the political appeal of economic populism, antiestablishment campaigning and a tougher approach toward Israel.
Tuesday's results are consistent with broader signs of a leftward shift among Democratic voters. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday found self-described liberal voters now make up 71% of Democrats, up from 55% in 2012, while large majorities said universal healthcare, expanded abortion access and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy are essential policy positions.
The poll also found deep Democratic skepticism of U.S. support for Israel. Only 16% of Democrats backed continued military and economic aid to Israel, while 57% opposed it, suggesting El-Sayed's criticism of U.S. policy aligned with views that have become increasingly common within the party.
President Donald Trump, right, stands with Former Rep. Mike Rogers on July 27 at the General Motors Proving Ground in Milford, Mich.
House races
Voters in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington state also decided on U.S. House candidates in Democratic primaries Tuesday, including a handful that could determine whether the party retakes the lower chamber. Four of those races are considered general election toss-ups.
In a Lansing-area swing district in Michigan, progressive climate activist William Lawrence won the Democratic nomination after two moderate candidates split the center-left vote. Lawrence will face U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett in November.
Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and state Senate Republican Leader John Braun advanced to the general election in the state's top-two primary. The progressive candidate, Brent Hennrich, finished a distant third.
In two Virginia districts expected to be competitive in November, Democrats nominated former U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor.
In Missouri, progressive Democrat Cori Bush failed in her bid to take back her seat from U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell in a rematch of 2024. A pro-Israel super PAC spent more than $8 million to help oust Bush, a vocal critic of Israel, in 2024 and more than $3 million this year to keep Bush out of Congress. Bell is heavily favored to win in November, as the St. Louis-area district is safely Democratic.
