Michigan Senate Primary: Progressive Champion Abdul El-Sayed Faces Corporate-Backed Centrist Haley Stevens
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Michigan voters are set to choose between bold progressive Abdul El-Sayed, a former health official fighting for universal health care, and establishment-backed centrist Haley Stevens in a Democratic Senate primary that could determine whether the party stands with the people or corporate interests in 2024.
Michigan voters are deciding the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in a contest that starkly contrasts grassroots progressivism and establishment centrism. Former public-health official Abdul El-Sayed, a tireless advocate for universal health care and working-class families, faces off against U.S. Representative Haley Stevens, a centrist who previously flipped a Republican district but has often sided with corporate donors over everyday Michiganders. El-Sayed has surged ahead in recent internal polls, despite the race being flooded with over $40 million in outside spending, much of it from groups tied to the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has a history of undermining progressive candidates and pushing pro-corporate, pro-war agendas.
The winner will confront Republican former congressman Mike Rogers, who is seeking to reclaim power after losing to incumbent Elissa Slotkin in 2024. The Michigan seat is crucial for Democrats who hope to reclaim a Senate majority and push back against the reactionary Republican bloc that currently holds 53 of 100 seats, threatening hard-won rights and social progress.
Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders has thrown his support behind El-Sayed and other progressive challengers in Michigan, including community organizer William Lawrence in the seventh district and state representative Donavan McKinney in the thirteenth. Sanders’ endorsements reflect a growing movement to wrest control of the party from corporate interests and return it to the people. Meanwhile, the Republican field includes Trump-endorsed U.S. Representative John James and wealthy businessman Perry Johnson, both representing the far-right’s grip on the GOP.
Other primaries on Tuesday, including those in Missouri and Washington state, highlight similar battles, as candidates confront not only the horrors of the war in Gaza but also the corrosive influence of outside lobbying that continues to distort American democracy.