El-Sayed nabs Michigan Democratic Senate nomination in major win for progressives
Abdul El-Sayed is projected to win Michigan’s Democratic primary for Senate, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in a race that became one of the clearest tests yet of the Democratic Party’s direction ahead of the midterm elections.
His victory marks a major win for the party’s progressive wing in one of the nation’s key battleground states as he seeks to fill the open Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
But it was a close race that was not called by The Associated Press until close to 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, which is sure to further intensify lingering rifts in the Democratic Party as it seeks to hold on to a race key to hopes of capturing the Senate majority.
It also delivers a setback to Democratic leaders who rallied behindStevens, a four-term congresswoman from suburban Detroit who argued that her more moderate profile offered the party its strongest chance of holding the open Senate seat. El-Sayed will now faisce ex-GOP Rep. Mike Rogers in November.
El-Sayed, a physician and former Wayne County health director, built his campaign around an unapologetically progressive platform, calling for universal healthcare, stronger protections for workers, expanded affordable housing and policies aimed at reducing economic inequality. He argued that Democrats should embrace a more ambitious vision rather than moderating their agenda to appeal to swing voters, while framing his campaign as one rooted in grassroots organizing instead of establishment politics.
His campaign drew endorsements from prominent progressive leaders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Labor activists, left-leaning advocacy organizations and a network of small-dollar donors also helped propel his candidacy, allowing him to compete against Stevens despite being heavily outspent by outside groups aligned with the Democratic establishment.
Recommended
Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at CNN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.
