Democrats face most contentious – and crucial – test yet with Michigan primary

Michigan Democratic Primary Pits El-Sayed Against Stevens for Senate Nomination

At Chad Green’s house in Davison, Michigan, a group of baby chicks moved across the lawn as U.S. senators addressed roughly two dozen voters about supporting Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Green, a retired federal firefighter, had previously hosted a similar event for Mallory McMorrow before she ended her campaign in early July. The contest narrowed to El-Sayed, who supports universal healthcare, and U.S. Representative Haley Stevens.

Green, 54, described himself as a moderate Democrat who initially backed McMorrow. After reviewing both remaining candidates, he said El-Sayed’s policy positions aligned more closely with his views. He noted visible enthusiasm among some Democratic voters for El-Sayed and lower expected turnout on the Republican side.

The August 4 primary has drawn attention as one of the more competitive Democratic Senate contests this cycle. Voters are evaluating the candidates’ records and positions on issues including healthcare and electability in the general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former U.S. representative who lost the 2024 Senate race to Elissa Slotkin.

A nonpartisan Emerson poll released this week showed El-Sayed at 54 percent and Stevens at 39 percent among likely Democratic primary voters. The survey indicated a 42-point advantage for El-Sayed among voters under 50 and a 14-point advantage for Stevens among voters over 60. Independents favored El-Sayed by 27 points.

Stevens, 43, has represented Michigan’s 11th congressional district since 2019. She received endorsements from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and retiring Senator Gary Peters. El-Sayed, 41, previously served as health director for Detroit and Wayne County. His supporters include Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Van Hollen, who appeared with him at events in Michigan.

The winner will face Rogers in November. El-Sayed has stated he is a capitalist who supports regulating monopolies and oligopolies. He is not a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Outside groups have spent more than $40 million in the race, with additional reservations exceeding $60 million according to AdImpact data. Some expenditures supported Stevens or opposed El-Sayed, including from organizations linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has an A rating from End Citizens United. She has said most of her direct contributions come from small donors and has pointed to a note received during a church service in which a congregant offered to contribute if aware of her attendance.

Stevens has criticized El-Sayed for not releasing full financial disclosures earlier in the campaign; he later provided them. She has also questioned his prior podcast work with Crooked Media and a book he authored. El-Sayed described the website purchases as a defensive step to prevent others from using similar domains against him and said comfort with media formats is an asset for a nominee.

In recent weeks, El-Sayed clarified comments about Senator John Fetterman that had drawn criticism; Stevens responded that she appreciated the clarification that the remarks did not refer to her. Stevens posted on social media that El-Sayed sought to blame problems on Jewish Americans after he criticized AIPAC spending. El-Sayed has made opposition to outside spending a central campaign theme.

Stevens has described her approach as focused on achievable legislative results rather than broad policy proposals such as Medicare for All. She has said the priority is defeating Rogers. El-Sayed has argued that electing candidates committed to universal healthcare is necessary to enact it.

Black voters comprise about 20 percent of the Democratic primary electorate. Available polling shows Stevens leading among this group. On a recent Sunday, Stevens attended services at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church and Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit, referencing her work on the auto industry rescue plan during the Obama administration and her connection to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Scott Benson, a Detroit city council member and deacon at Plymouth United Church of Christ, said he supports Stevens for her emphasis on local economic issues and legislative effectiveness. He noted prior professional contact with El-Sayed but said Stevens’ positions align more closely with his priorities. Several attendees at the services told Stevens they planned to vote for her, citing her record and prior work with the Obama administration.

Willie Goston, 71, of Redford, said he and his wife had already cast ballots for Stevens, referencing her ties to former President Obama and Representative James Clyburn.

On the same afternoon, El-Sayed supporters gathered in Rouge Park in Detroit. The event included remarks from elected officials and activists emphasizing campaign finance and healthcare policy. El-Sayed’s campaign reports more than 10,000 volunteers and daily door-knocking of nearly 10,000 households, with assistance from the Working Families Party, United Auto Workers, and Indivisible.

Justin Daniels, 45, who attended the park event, described the race as a contest between establishment and non-establishment approaches. He said younger Black voters might favor El-Sayed while older voters remain divided, and he expressed confidence in El-Sayed’s general-election prospects.

El-Sayed has said his public service record in Detroit and Wayne County provides a basis for support across demographic groups. He has characterized questions about his electability as sometimes linked to his Egyptian heritage and Muslim faith. He has pointed to his experience growing up in Michigan, including after September 11, 2001, as evidence that voters can look past such factors.

Recent national polling has shown voter dissatisfaction with congressional incumbents. El-Sayed has reported that some attendees at his events previously supported Donald Trump and now express interest in his candidacy.

The primary occurs on August 4.