Progressive El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Primary

Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed has won the Democratic primary for the US Senate in Michigan, narrowly defeating Congresswoman Haley Stevens. With more than 95% of the vote counted, El-Sayed secured 48.5%, compared with 47.5% for Stevens, according to the American Conservative.

The result marks a significant setback for the Democratic Party's moderate wing. Stevens was backed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, prominent African American leaders and millions of dollars in outside spending.

A central issue in the campaign was US policy toward Israel. Stevens supported Israel and received substantial financial backing from the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC.

El-Sayed, a Muslim American of Egyptian descent, has described Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip as genocide and has proposed redirecting some US aid to Israel toward domestic social programs. In November, he will face Republican candidate Mike Rogers in the general election.

(mja)