Liberal El-Sayed squeaks by Michigan Democratic Senate primary

Election analysts called Michigan’s Tuesday midterm primary race on Wednesday morning, with a narrow victory for Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. A 1% margin decided the race, with El-Sayed receiving 48.5% support over blue ticket opponent U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who received 47.5% support. Stevens conceded the race late Wednesday morning.

Analysts noted the Democratic race ended much closer than previously projected. El-Sayed received backing from liberal leaders Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., while Democratic centrist Stevens received support from outgoing Sen. Gary Peters, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

What was El-Sayed’s platform? The former Wayne County health director ran under an umbrella slogan: “Money out of politics. Money in your pocket. Medicare for all.” The 34-year-old championed specific issues like banning corporate funding in politics, opposing steeper capital gains taxes, and passing pro-abortion laws. He also moved to abolish ICE, lifetime Supreme Court appointments, and the congressional filibuster.

El-Sayed released a Wednesday morning statement thanking voters for their support. Stevens said she fully supported El-Sayed's race against Republican candidate Rep. Mike Rogers, according to a Wednesday statement from Stevens. Rogers, the GOP candidate, won the state’s 2026 midterm nomination by default. Two years ago, he narrowly lost a contest for the state’s other Senate seat against Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

Dig deeper: Read Emma Freire’s report in WORLD Magazine about Democratic socialists’ winning primary races across the country.