Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Primary

A nail-biting primary results in a momentous boost for progressives and DSA heading into November

By: Austin Abbring

August 5, 2026

Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed

I stayed up way too late last night watching this tight race between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens in Michigan. To tell you I was elated when I checked my phone this morning and saw the news that El-Sayed had squeaked out the victory is the understatement of the century. Progressive and DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) candidates have a huge amount of momentum right now, and it is a really exciting wave to support. There is an emerging light at the end of this very dark tunnel we have found ourselves in - especially throughout the Trump era. There is a new age in our politics on the far left wing of the Democratic Party, and it is capturing a young generation of voters who have felt left out. 

My generation and the ones surrounding it are getting a seat at the table and setting out to drive radical change in our politics and policy in this country. I mean radical in the greatest way possible, not the Red Scare radicalism right-wing media is attempting to portray.  This is an important pendulum swing as the Republican Party has continued to shift further and further right into fascism and authoritarianism, and the mainstream moderates of the Democratic Party are still humming along, attempting to reach across the aisle with Republicans as if this were the 1950’s. Members of both political parties in the establishment are failing us.

Abdul El-Sayed will take on Republican Mike Rogers for a Senate seat in Michigan this November, with massive implications. El-Sayed, who took zero corporate PAC money or AIPAC money, ran a platform on: Medicare for all, antitrust (especially in the healthcare system), regulation on corporate and tech power, wealth taxes on billionaires, and increased marginal tax rates on individuals whose earnings exceed $1 million, strengthening labor and protections, AI regulations, the abolishment of ICE, housing affordability by promoting federal building to increase supply of homes, overturning the 'Citizens United' Supreme Court decision, and opposing foreign military funding - especially to Israel. I have linked his official policy platform from his campaign page for those interested in taking a deeper dive, as this is just the crux of the positions he favors or opposes. 

El-Sayed’s grassroots campaign also triumphed over immense corporate spending by his rival in this primary, Haley Stevens. El-Sayed was outspent 9-to-1, with Stevens backed by over $60 million in corporate PAC money, around half of which came from AIPAC and other affiliated AIPAC PACs. This was the most expensive Democratic primary in our country’s history, and the general election between Rodgers and Abdul El-Sayed is shaping up to have mammoth spending as well, as AIPAC has already pledged to spend, spend, spend in support of Rodgers. 

While the work is far from done, El-Sayed's victory has significant ramifications that warrant celebration right now. For months now, we have been hearing from right-wing media spaces, moderate Democrats, and liberals that progressive and DSA candidates can only win in deep-blue areas, citing Zohran Mamdani, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Chevalier in New York City, as well as Melat Kiros’ win in Denver earlier this year in deep-blue districts. Well, not only did El-Sayed win, but progressive Will Lawrence and DSA-backed Donavan McKinney did as well in this Midwest purple state. 

The Republican Party should be on notice, and the establishment Democrats should be as well. The Democratic Party must start listening to its base. The old guard needs to transfer the sword and shield. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries must resign. The remaining feckless Democratic leaders who are not listening to their electorate will be meeting their fate at the ballot box. Championing a strategy focused on flipping suburban moderate Republicans and affluent white swing voters is not going to cut it. It has been a losing strategy for decades. If the Democratic Party wants to regain and maintain power, it must be representative of the working class it used to listen to and embody. Mamdani is already well beyond the point of proving that these policies are possible and highly effective. Politicians and the government (state and federal) can work for the people who are desperate for representation right now. People are struggling, and candidates like El-Sayed will go a long way towards helping bring about the equity and dignity the American working class deserves.