LANSING, Mich. — Abdul El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Michigan, narrowly defeating U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens to advance to a November general election against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in one of the country's most closely watched Senate races.
El-Sayed's campaign drew backing from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, cementing his standing as the progressive choice in a primary that exposed the party's internal divisions in a key battleground state.
Stevens, who represents Michigan's 11th Congressional District, conceded early Wednesday. Rogers ran virtually uncontested for the Republican nomination.
El-Sayed has been a vocal critic of Israel, a stance that aligns him with the party's progressive wing and sets up a sharp contrast with Rogers in the general election. Rogers has already labeled El-Sayed an "extremist."
Despite the divisive primary, both El-Sayed and Stevens called for party unity after the results came in.
The Michigan Senate race will help determine which party controls the chamber after the 2026 midterms. Both El-Sayed and Rogers will now compete to consolidate their bases in a state that neither party can afford to lose.
