Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, defeating establishment-backed Congresswoman Haley Stevens in a result that has unsettled the wider Democratic Party. The victory of the progressive former Michigan health official, who campaigned on policies such as government-sponsored health insurance and campaign finance reform, sets up a closely watched general election battle against unopposed Republican Mike Rogers, seen as a major test of whether a left-wing candidate can win in a genuine battleground state.

El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, was backed by prominent progressives including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while Stevens had the support of Democratic Party leadership and $32m in funding from the pro-Israel group Aipac, with outside groups favouring her nine-to-one. Despite this financial disadvantage, El-Sayed prevailed, though by a narrower margin than pre-election polling had suggested, leaving him needing to unite lower-income and rural Democratic voters before November. The outcome, coming amid signs that pro-Israel candidates are struggling in Democratic primaries, could prove pivotal for the party's chances of retaking the Senate and may shape debate over progressive candidates ahead of the 2028 presidential race.