Michigan Democratic Senate Primary Nears Finish as El-Sayed and Stevens Court Detroit Voters

Detroit – In the final days of Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens held separate appeals at Black churches in the Detroit area, aiming to win the support of the city’s pivotal Black electorate. El-Sayed addressed congregants at Kingdom Covenant Church, emphasizing a vision of economic opportunity and equal rights, and was joined by progressive lawmakers and leaders of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He told the audience, "I believe in the kind of America where no matter where you grow up, the color of your skin, how you pray, you deserve equal rights in this country."

Stevens, speaking after a service in Pontiac, highlighted her long-standing ties to local churches and her experience in the Obama administration’s auto-rescue effort. She said, "I come here year-round. This isn’t just a campaign thing. Our churches are places of community refuge, community connection."

Both campaigns noted that strong turnout among Detroit voters will be crucial for securing the nomination, which will determine the Democratic challenger to Republican Sen. Mike Rogers in the November general election. After Sunday’s events, El-Sayed will remain in Detroit to mobilize volunteers, while Stevens will travel westward to rally supporters in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and other Democratic-leaning communities. Their strategies reflect a race that has become a test of where Michigan Democrats stand on progressive versus establishment priorities.