Michigan’s high-stakes Democratic primary for US Senate seat too close to call – as it happened

Michigan Primary Elections: Democratic Senate Nomination Remains Close as Counting Continues

The Democratic contest for Michigan’s US Senate nomination remains too close to call. With about two-thirds of the votes counted statewide, Abdul El-Sayed leads Haley Stevens by three percentage points. The Associated Press reported the figures based on precinct results available as of early morning on August 5, 2026.

El-Sayed received stronger support in Washtenaw County, which includes Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, and in Kent County, which includes Grand Rapids. Stevens led in Oakland County, covering many northern suburbs of Detroit. In Wayne County, Michigan’s most populous county, 48 percent of the vote had been counted, with Stevens ahead by roughly eight points at that stage.

Outside spending and endorsements have featured in the race. Groups including the IMEU Policy Project reported independent expenditures supporting El-Sayed, while other committees aligned with Stevens received contributions from organizations such as AIPAC. Specific totals and timing of these expenditures are documented in Federal Election Commission filings. Endorsements for El-Sayed included statements from Senator Bernie Sanders. Stevens received support from several members of the congressional delegation and state party figures.

Further down the ballot, Jocelyn Benson secured the Democratic nomination for governor. She defeated Chris Swanson, the Genesee County sheriff. Benson, serving as Michigan secretary of state, will face Republican nominee John James in November. James won the Republican primary after defeating businessman Perry Johnson. James represents Michigan’s 10th congressional district and previously sought the U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020. The Republican Governors Association issued a statement welcoming his nomination. Michigan Democratic Party officials described James as a candidate voters had rejected in prior races.

In Michigan’s 7th congressional district, William Lawrence won the Democratic primary in a three-way contest. He defeated former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam. Lawrence, a community organizer, will challenge Republican incumbent Tom Barrett in November. Barrett flipped the seat in 2024. The Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel stated that Lawrence represented a clear choice for the district. Senator Elissa Slotkin had endorsed Maasdam; Sanders endorsed Lawrence.

In Washington state, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez advanced to the general election for her U.S. House seat under the state’s top-two primary system. She will face Republican state senator John Braun. Braun received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. The district supported Trump in each of his three presidential campaigns, most recently by approximately three points. Gluesenkamp Perez ran ahead of the Democratic presidential nominee by about seven points in 2024. Economic activity in the district includes logging, agriculture, shipping, and manufacturing.

In Missouri, Democratic Representative Wesley Bell won the primary for the St. Louis-area U.S. House seat, defeating former Representative Cori Bush. Bell is the Democratic nominee in the heavily Democratic district. In the same state, voters rejected a ballot measure that would have required citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to pass in every congressional district rather than by a statewide majority. Nearly 80 percent of voters opposed the measure.

In Kansas, state Senator Cindy Holscher won the Democratic nomination for governor. She defeated two other candidates and will face Republican nominee Ty Masterson in November. Masterson, president of the Kansas Senate, received support from Trump-aligned groups. The race occurs after eight years of Democratic control under term-limited Governor Laura Kelly.

Mallory McMorrow, who suspended her Senate campaign earlier in the year, stated in a CNN interview that Democrats should unify after the primary regardless of the outcome. She said she had voted for Democratic candidates throughout the ballot and would endorse the Senate nominee once results were certified. At the time of her remarks, 28 percent of the Senate primary vote had been counted statewide, with 7 percent counted in Wayne County.

Polls closed at different times across time zones in Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia. The Associated Press called initial results in several Michigan congressional districts, including the Republican primary in the 10th district won by Michael Bouchard. Virginia House primaries produced first-round results reported by the same wire service.

The Michigan Democratic Party issued statements describing the 7th district contest as a battleground seat that changed party control in 2024. Republican officials noted Barrett’s record of differing with some party positions during his term.

Vote counting continued through the night in several counties. No final certification had occurred for the Senate race at the time of these reports. Additional precincts in central and western Michigan were expected to report later in the morning.

The structure of the primaries reflected standard state procedures for nominating candidates for federal and state offices. Turnout figures and demographic breakdowns of the vote were not yet complete in the counties with the largest remaining uncounted ballots.