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Abdul El-Sayed's Senate candidacy poses a critical challenge for Democrats' ascendant progressive wing: Can an insurgent candidate, with unabashedly liberal positions, win a general election in a moderate state?
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(First column, 1st story, link)
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Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed has been declared the winner of Michigan's closely watched Democratic Senate primary, narrowly beating out Congressmember Haley Stevens, according to the Associated Press and other news agencies. AIPAC and its affiliated groups spent as much as $46 million to help Stevens in what has become the most expensive Democratic Senate primary contest in U.S. history. El-Sayed will face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in November to fill the seat now held by Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is retiring. If El-Sayed wins the general election, he would become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history. His key supporters included Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the United Auto Workers.
"Dr. Abdul El-Sayed worked unbelievably hard in this race," says John Nichols, executive editor of The Nation, pointing out that El-Sayed campaigned in rural counties across Michigan. "It was literally about physically going to the people early, and then again and again and again, and talking to them about issues."
We also speak with Andy Levin, a former Democratic congressmember from Michigan who lost to Stevens in 2022 after AIPAC spent $4.3 million on her campaign. El-Sayed's rise represents "a movement of Americans who are saying, 'Enough of politics as usual,'" says Levin. "'We're done with the parties as they are. We need some way more active effort for us to be able to have living wages and healthcare and education and childcare and retirement.'"
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William Lawrence defeated two moderate candidates to challenge a vulnerable Republican incumbent, but some worry his views could hurt his chances in November.
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The progressive Democrat has consistently had large leads over Representative Haley Stevens, despite debates about which candidate will be more electable in November.
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The decision by Julian Beaudion, the Democratic nominee, to leave the race was the third recent withdrawal by a Democratic Senate candidate in a red state.
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