El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Primary Over Stevens

Abdul ElSayed, a progressive former county health director, has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Michigan, overcoming a record-breaking wave of outside spending aimed at defeating him. ElSayed secured a narrow victory over U.S. Representative Haley Stevens in the primary held on August 4, 2026, setting up a high-stakes November contest against Republican nominee Mike Rogers.

The race was defined by an unprecedented financial intervention from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its allies, who spent more than $30 million, and by some estimates over $60 million in total, to support Stevens and attack ElSayed. Despite being outspent by as much as nine-to-one, ElSayed turned the flood of outside money into a central campaign theme, framing the primary as a contest between Michigan voters and wealthy donors seeking to impose foreign policy priorities. His victory represents the most expensive electoral defeat for AIPAC since it began spending directly in federal elections.

ElSayed campaigned on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and a sharp critique of U.S. foreign policy, particularly military assistance to Israel. He has...