El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Primary Over Stevens

Published AUG 5

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Above: **Watermarked Getty Image. Kindly Replace** Abdul El-Sayed, U.S. Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, speaks during a primary election night watch party in Detroit, Michigan, on Aug. 5, 2026. Image credit: Sarah Rice/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

AIPAC and billionaire-funded groups spent a record $50 million to crush Abdul El-Sayed because his Medicare for All, anti-war platform threatens the donor class. The smear campaign against him — twisting quotes, manufacturing antisemitism claims — shows just how desperate the establishment is to keep working-class politics out of the Senate. Blocking this progressive wave risks repeating 2024, when disaffected Michigan voters handed the state to Republicans.

Bernie Sanders on X In These Times

El-Sayed is no ordinary progressive — his deep ties to CAIR and repeated appearances alongside extremist figures make him a genuine liability for Michigan Democrats. Haley Stevens, backed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and establishment leaders, is the only candidate who can actually win in November against Republican Mike Rogers. Nominating El-Sayed hands the seat to the GOP and legitimizes a radical fringe that has no business near the U.S. Senate.

Amy Mek on X New York Post