El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate primary, sets up fall race with Rogers

Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's Democratic U.S. Senate primary, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in a race that exposed divisions within the party. El-Sayed, a progressive who has never held elected office, will face Republican nominee Mike Rogers in November's general election.

Outside groups spent more than $60 million on advertising backing Stevens, making the primary one of the most expensive in the country, and El-Sayed faced a spending disadvantage of nearly 9-1. He made that spending a central issue of his campaign, casting it as a symbol of outside influence, and returned to the theme in his victory speech, saying "the power of our many is greater than the power of their money."

El-Sayed also made U.S. policy toward Israel and outside spending by groups such as AIPAC a defining issue in the race. Democratic strategist Lis Smith, who had worked for Mallory McMorrow's Senate campaign before McMorrow dropped out last month, said the result reflected anger within the Democratic Party following the 2024 election and marked a setback for establishment Democrats, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who had backed Stevens.

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