Abdul El-Sayed narrowly wins Michigan Democratic Senate primary

Published Aug 10, 05:45 PM UTC

Progressive firebrand Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, a race seen as a referendum on the party's identity. El-Sayed, endorsed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, made Democratic support for Israel a central issue, criticizing Stevens for receiving over $30 million from AIPAC. Stevens countered by accusing El-Sayed of blaming Jewish Americans for problems. El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim U.S. senator if elected, now faces GOP nominee Mike Rogers. In other primaries, Michigan progressive William Lawrence won his House race focusing on opposing data centers, while in Missouri, pro-Israel moderate Wesley Bell defeated incumbent Cori Bush by over 20 points. Columnists are divided on El-Sayed's general election prospects, with some viewing him as too left-wing to win a battleground state, while others argue the national environment favors Democrats.