Michigan Senate Primary Pits El-Sayed’s Progressive Movement Against Stevens’ Experience/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens closed their Michigan Democratic Senate primary campaigns with sharply different appeals to voters. El-Sayed emphasized his progressive movement and Detroit volunteer base, while Stevens promoted her experience, institutional support and ability to defeat Republican Mike Rogers. After an expensive and increasingly contentious primary, the winner will face the immediate challenge of uniting Michigan Democrats for November.
Quick Look
- Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens made their final campaign appeals ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
- El-Sayed focused on Detroit, describing the city as his “spiritual home.”
- Stevens campaigned in Muskegon Heights and Grand Rapids with Democratic officials.
- El-Sayed is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressive leaders.
- Stevens is supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and prominent Michigan Democrats.
- Tens of millions of dollars have flowed into the primary.
- Outside groups supporting Stevens accounted for much of the spending.
- Both candidates courted Detroit-area Black voters at churches and union events.
- El-Sayed’s campaign says it has built a statewide network of 12,000 volunteers.
- Stevens has endorsements from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Sen. Gary Peters.
- Both candidates say they are prepared to face Republican Mike Rogers.
- Michigan Democrats plan a post-primary event designed to unite the party for November.
Deep Look
El-Sayed and Stevens Close Fierce Michigan Primary
DETROIT — U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed spent the final hours of Michigan’s fiercely fought Democratic Senate primary presenting voters with two different visions for the party’s future.
The settings of their final campaign events reflected the contrasting strategies they have pursued for more than a year.
El-Sayed remained focused on Detroit, while Stevens traveled across the state’s western region with established Michigan Democratic officials.
The winner of Tuesday’s primary is expected to face Republican Mike Rogers in the general election.
El-Sayed Looks Ahead to November
El-Sayed attended a backyard pool party in Detroit, where he posed for photographs and spoke with content creators before joining supporters for his final rally.
He expressed confidence about the primary and spoke as though his campaign was already preparing for the general election.
“We have an opportunity to continue to build this movement. We got 13 weeks left to work,” El-Sayed said at his final event of the primary campaign in Detroit.
El-Sayed concentrated his campaign’s closing days on Detroit, which he described as a “spiritual home.”
He said the city offered an opportunity to “demonstrate what this movement is and what it could mean.”
Stevens Emphasizes Electability
Stevens spent the final campaign hours holding events in Muskegon Heights and Grand Rapids alongside Michigan Democratic officials.
The four-term congresswoman continued to argue that she is the only Democratic candidate capable of defeating Rogers in November.
Stevens visited Detroit before traveling to western Michigan for the final phase of her campaign.
She described the closing push as the “last word phenomenon.”
“Everyone’s trying to get in their last points,” she said.
Primary Tests Democratic Party’s Direction
The Michigan contest has emerged as one of the clearest tests of what Democratic voters want from their party.
El-Sayed is a progressive endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and other prominent figures on the Democratic left. His campaign has positioned itself in opposition to much of the party establishment.
Stevens has centered her campaign on experience and electability. She is backed by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and many leading Michigan Democrats.
Tens of millions of dollars have been spent on the race, much of it by outside organizations supporting Stevens.
The outcome will depend on which candidate can assemble enough support from Michigan’s diverse Democratic coalition.
Both Candidates Court Black Detroit Voters
Both campaigns devoted part of their final weekend to Detroit, where Black voters have historically played a central role in determining Democratic primary results.
El-Sayed began Sunday at a crowded Detroit church, where he sat with his wife and Black political leaders.
He clapped as members of the congregation sang and listened as the pastor delivered his sermon before asking the churchgoers for their votes.
“I believe in the kind of America where no matter where you grow up, the color of your skin, how you pray, you deserve equal rights in this country,” El-Sayed told the congregation at Kingdom Covenant Church.
“You deserve to go to a good school, you deserve to get healthcare, you deserve to graduate and get a good job,” he added.
Progressive Leaders Join El-Sayed
Democratic Reps. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts joined El-Sayed at the church.
Yusef Jackson, president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the son of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, also attended.
Pastor David A. Johnson II said he did not usually welcome political candidates to the church but believed the moment called for a different approach.
He said, “this particular season, it’s time for us to do something different.”
Detroit Voter Makes Late Decision
Robin Robertson, a 59-year-old Detroit resident, said she had spent much of the campaign undecided.
She waited until the final days before choosing El-Sayed, concluding that Stevens “had a good run.”
“His agenda seems to match more for me the things that we need right now,” Robertson said. “And then, he’s here in my little church. That was confirmation that I’m going to vote for him.”
Stevens Highlights Longstanding Church Connections
Stevens also emphasized her connections with Black churches in the Detroit area.
During a Sunday afternoon visit to a church in Pontiac, Stevens remained after the service to speak individually with congregants. She greeted many people as longtime acquaintances.
“I come here year-round. This isn’t just a campaign thing,” Stevens said. “Our churches are places of community refuge, community connection.”
Stevens and her supporters have used campaign advertisements to highlight her connections to former President Barack Obama.
The advertisements also feature her experience as chief of staff for the Obama administration’s auto rescue effort between 2009 and 2011.
Her campaign recognizes that a strong performance among Detroit voters will probably be necessary for victory.
Reggie Williams, a longtime Stevens constituent, attended an Oakland County campaign event at a union hall Sunday evening.
He said he continued supporting the congresswoman because she “has always been there for the people.”
“She is out and about in the community, always has boots on the ground,” Williams said.
Campaigns Take Different Routes Across Michigan
After competing for many of the same Democratic constituencies Sunday, Stevens and El-Sayed followed different routes on the final full day of campaigning.
El-Sayed remained in Detroit and leaned heavily on his campaign’s volunteer operation, which his team says has expanded to 12,000 people across Michigan.
He sought to transform enthusiasm in the state’s largest city into turnout at the polls.
El-Sayed concluded his campaign Monday evening with a Detroit voter mobilization event attended by other candidates seeking congressional and state offices.
Stevens Relies on Institutional Support
Stevens relied on the extensive institutional support she has accumulated throughout the state.
Her endorsements include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Gary Peters and many other prominent Democratic officials.
On Monday, Stevens visited a soul food restaurant and bakery in Muskegon Heights, where she addressed a group of just over 20 people.
She again presented herself as the Democratic candidate best positioned to defeat Rogers in the general election.
Muskegon Heights Voter Hopes Stevens Keeps Promises
Sharri J. Lane, a jewelry business owner who grew up in Muskegon Heights, attended the event after already casting her vote for Stevens.
“I hope that she will keep her word and will do things that will benefit so many communities like ours,” Lane, 54, said while standing next to a rack of her earrings for sale. “Sometimes we’re forgotten about, you know, after the voting ends.”
Increasingly Contentious Campaign
The primary has been expensive and bruising, with tensions rising during its closing weeks.
El-Sayed and his supporters intensified their criticism of Stevens as Election Day approached.
In July, El-Sayed told Semafor that a pro-Israel organization supporting Stevens needed to “teach her how to string together two coherent sentences.”
Stevens escalated her criticism after a video clip of El-Sayed appeared on July 31.
She responded by saying, “Everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans.”
Winner Must Unite Michigan Democrats
The primary winner will immediately face the challenge of bringing together supporters of two candidates who have promoted sharply different visions for the Democratic Party.
Michigan Democrats will have little time to move beyond the divisions and personal attacks that defined the campaign’s final weeks.
The state party hopes to begin unifying its candidates and voters almost immediately after the primary.
Democratic nominees from across Michigan are expected to attend a general election kickoff in the days following the vote.
The event is intended to demonstrate party unity and shift Democrats’ attention toward defeating Republicans in November.
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