El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate primary, jolting national Democrats
Why it matters: The race against Republican Mike Rogers could test whether a left-wing Democrat can win in a battleground state.
Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in a result that reverberated through the national party ahead of November’s election. El-Sayed, a former Michigan health official and the son of Egyptian immigrants, had support from Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while Stevens was backed by Democratic leaders in Washington. Stevens also benefited from heavy outside spending, including $32 million from Aipac, but lost anyway. The win sets up a general election contest with former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who ran unopposed. With control of the Senate potentially at stake, the Michigan race is poised to become a closely watched test of whether an openly left-wing Democrat can prevail in a swing state.