Michigan Democratic Senate primary tests party’s left-vs-center split
Why it matters: The winner to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters will defend a must-hold battleground seat in the midterms.
Michigan voters are deciding a closely watched Democratic Senate primary that has become a proxy fight over the party’s direction. The contest pits Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County Health Department director backed by progressive allies including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, against Rep. Haley Stevens, a more centrist candidate aligned with much of the party establishment. The winner would seek to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in a race Democrats view as critical to protecting a competitive seat. The primary has drawn national attention because a progressive victory in a swing-state Senate race could shape candidate strategy well beyond Michigan.