DETROIT, Michigan — Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary, NBC News projected, overcoming an expensive outside-spending campaign supporting Rep. Haley Stevens.
The victory sends El-Sayed, a physician and former Detroit health director, into a November contest against Republican nominee Mike Rogers. They are competing for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in a race that could help determine control of the chamber.
The primary became a major test of the Democratic Party’s ideological direction. El-Sayed campaigned on Medicare for All, reducing corporate influence in government and changing U.S. policy toward Israel. Stevens emphasized her congressional experience and presented herself as the more pragmatic general-election candidate.
Groups associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other organizations supporting Stevens spent more than $30 million during the race. El-Sayed relied on grassroots fundraising and endorsements from progressive leaders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
The result represents a significant victory for progressives after a campaign shaped by arguments over healthcare, Israel’s war in Gaza and the influence of wealthy outside groups in Democratic primaries.
El-Sayed now faces a difficult general election against Rogers, who narrowly lost Michigan’s 2024 Senate race. Michigan remains a critical battleground after Donald Trump carried the state in the 2024 presidential election.
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