El-Sayed holds narrow lead in Michigan Senate primary but race too close to call

Michigan Senate primary too close to call as El-Sayed holds narrow lead

DETROIT — The Democratic Senate primary in Michigan remained too close to call early Wednesday, with progressive former public health official Abdul El-Sayed holding a narrow lead over U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, according to multiple reports.

With more than 95% of votes counted, El-Sayed had about 49.5% of the vote to Stevens' 45.78% as of around 5 a.m. local time, according to The Guardian. Earlier tallies showed El-Sayed at 48.7% and Stevens at 47.3% with 95% counted, per the Associated Press.

Both candidates addressed supporters, acknowledging the race could extend into the day. "We knew that this was going to be a close race, and that's exactly what we've got," Stevens said. "I am feeling fired up, and you should be too." El-Sayed told his crowd, "We're going to have to wait a little longer to see the outcome of this race, but as I look in front of me, I already see [it]."

The bitter and expensive campaign attracted national attention not only because the general election will help determine control of the U.S. Senate, but also because it became a proxy battle between the Democratic Party's establishment and progressive wings. A flood of more than $40 million in outside spending came into the race, including from groups associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), a pro-Israel lobby, supporting Stevens or attacking El-Sayed.

El-Sayed, 41, built a grassroots campaign statewide on a message of universal healthcare and getting money out of politics. Stevens, 43, cast herself as a pragmatic problem-solver and first came to Congress after flipping a red seat. The race was seen as a test of the party's direction after Donald Trump's 2024 victory, with left-wing candidates surging in Democratic primaries in solidly blue areas across the country.

The winner will face Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman who ran unopposed in the GOP primary, in November. The seat is being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. Rogers was also the Republican nominee in 2024, when he lost to Elissa Slotkin.

Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat who dropped out of the primary in July, said it was vital for the party to unify after the bruising campaign. "I voted for great Democrats up and down the ballot, and I made a commitment that whoever wins the Senate race tonight, I will be endorsing as soon as that race is called," she told CNN.

Other primary results

In Michigan's governor's race, Jocelyn Benson clinched the Democratic nomination and will face Republican John James, a congressman endorsed by Donald Trump, to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (though Whitmer is not term-limited in the source text; the source says "term-limited Democ" — likely a typo for "Democratic governor"). Benson, the state's secretary of state, defeated her primary opponents.

In Michigan's 7th congressional district, William Lawrence won the Democratic primary, according to reports.

In Missouri, Democratic Rep. Wesley Bell won his primary, defeating progressive former Rep. Cori Bush and blunting momentum for pro-Palestinian candidates. The race was punctuated by the war in Gaza and outside spending by pro-Israel groups.

In Washington state's 3rd congressional district, Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez secured one of two spots in the all-party primary, overcoming criticism from both the left and right. She will face Republican state Sen. John Braun in November.

Missouri's top election official, Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, rejected a petition seeking a statewide referendum on redistricting, saying challenging the congressional map was unconstitutional under state law.

Perspectives

The race has drawn competing narratives. Progressive advocates view El-Sayed's potential victory as a significant win for the left flank of the Democratic Party, which has seen surprising success in House primaries in New York and Denver. Establishment figures and moderate Democrats, including those supporting Stevens, emphasize pragmatism and electability, noting the importance of winning the battleground state to retake the Senate. The influence of outside spending, particularly from Aipac-affiliated groups, has also been a point of contention, with progressives criticizing it as an attempt to sway the primary.