El-Sayed Narrowly Leads Progressive Charge Over Corporate-Backed Stevens in Michigan Democratic Senate Primary
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Incumbent Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a champion of progressive values, holds a slim lead over establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary as votes are tallied. The winner will face Republican Mike Rogers, a conservative opponent, in November.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a bold progressive candidate fighting for working people, has carved out a narrow lead over centrist and corporate-aligned Rep. Haley Stevens in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, according to early Wednesday vote tallies. Both candidates addressed their supporters after midnight, underscoring the razor-thin margin and the stakes for the future of the Democratic Party.
"We knew this was going to be a close race, and that’s exactly what we’ve got: a close race," Stevens said, trying to rally her base despite her ties to big donors and the party establishment. She added she felt "good" and "fired up." El-Sayed, who has faced a $70 million onslaught from corporate interests desperate to stop his progressive agenda, declared that a victory would mean "we’ll have taken $70 million on the chin and kept fighting back" and pledged to "begin to mend fences" after the primary, signaling unity in the face of establishment resistance. The primary winner will go on to face former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican with a record of supporting right-wing policies, in the November general election for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Gary Peters.
Other Democratic primaries across the Midwest showed the ongoing struggle between grassroots progressives and establishment forces. In Missouri, Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former Rep. Cori Bush, a progressive stalwart, while in Michigan, organizer William Lawrence, running on a platform of taxing billionaires, universal health care, and ending arms sales to Israel, won a House primary and will challenge Rep. Tom Barrett in the fall. Lawrence, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, represents the growing movement to challenge corporate power and militarism.
The Michigan race also features a contest in Detroit’s 7th district between Rep. Shri Thanedar and State Rep. Donavan McKinney, which remained unresolved early Wednesday. Across the region, gubernatorial and congressional primaries in Kansas, Virginia, and Washington are shaping the upcoming midterm elections, with progressives continuing to push for transformative change.