Polls have begun closing across five US states holding primary elections, with the most closely watched contest in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary. The race pits progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed against establishment-backed Haley Stevens, reflecting a broader struggle between the party's left wing and its centrist establishment over the future direction of the Democratic Party.

El-Sayed has dismissed the significance of Stevens' establishment endorsements, arguing that "endorsements don't vote, people vote," while facing scrutiny over his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker ahead of the vote. Virginia was among the first states to close its polls, with results from Michigan and other battlegrounds expected to signal whether socialist-aligned candidates can make gains in the Midwest as part of a wider ideological contest within the Democratic Party.