The upset exposes a sharper fight between Democratic establishment figures and the party’s progressive wing ahead of the November contest against former Rep. Mike Rogers, which election watchers rate a toss-up.
Abdul El-Sayed is projected to beat Rep. Haley Stevens (D) in Michigan’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary, marking a setback for party leadership and a win for the party’s progressive flank. The race became a public test of where Democrats are headed into 2026 and 2028, with Stevens running as a moderate and El-Sayed embracing a progressive, populist message. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) backed El-Sayed, while outgoing Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) endorsed Stevens. El-Sayed now advances to a November race against former Rep. Mike Rogers (R) that Cool Political Report rates a “toss-up,” though recent polling suggests he may face a harder general-election fight. Whitmer endorsed El-Sayed after the race was called, while President Trump reacted on social media by calling the result “Great news for the Republican Party.” The newsletter also highlighted broader Washington developments, including Senate Republicans’ struggle to leave for a planned 5-week recess without clashing with President Trump, an FAA (U.S. aviation regulator) investigation into a protocol breach involving Marine One and a departing jet at Washington Reagan National Airport, and renewed scrutiny of Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) after a contentious CNN interview and calls for him to step down.