Progressive physician and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s Democratic primary for the US Senate, defeating Representative Haley Stevens in one of the most closely watched races of the 2026 midterm election cycle.
El-Sayed will now face Republican Mike Rogers in the November general election to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. A victory would make him the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
The primary was widely seen as a contest over the future direction of the Democratic Party, highlighting divisions between its progressive and moderate wings on issues including healthcare, economic policy, campaign finance and US support for Israel.
Michigan, a key presidential battleground state with one of the country’s largest Arab American populations, was viewed as an important indicator of Democratic voter sentiment ahead of the midterm elections.
The race also became one of the most expensive Senate primaries in US history, with outside groups spending more than US$60 million. Groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) reportedly spent about US$30 million backing Stevens.
El-Sayed campaigned on expanding access to healthcare, lowering housing costs, reducing the influence of large political donors and increasing investment in domestic priorities.
On foreign policy, he has been a prominent Democratic critic of US support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, calling for an end to unconditional US military assistance and arguing that greater resources should be directed towards healthcare and other domestic programmes.
Born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, El-Sayed received endorsements from prominent progressive figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Representative Rashida Tlaib.
His victory adds to a series of recent primary wins by progressive Democrats, including candidates who have been outspoken in support of Palestinian rights.