Abdul El-Sayed, a left-wing political outsider and former public health official, is projected to win Michigan’s Democratic primary for the US Senate, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
El-Sayed was narrowly ahead of Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens after a contest that highlighted divisions within the party. With more than 1.5 million ballots counted by late Wednesday morning, fewer than 15,000 votes — just under one percentage point — separated the two candidates.
Stevens conceded in a statement and endorsed El-Sayed for the November election. She described him as a doctor, community health official, Rhodes Scholar and dedicated Michigander.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will face Republican Mike Rogers, a Trump ally, in the midterm election. If elected, he would become the first Muslim to serve in the US Senate.
Campaign differences
El-Sayed campaigned on progressive policies including universal healthcare, removing money from politics and abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He received backing from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Stevens presented herself as a more moderate candidate, focusing on manufacturing jobs and appealing to voters uncertain about which party to support in November. She was endorsed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and outgoing Senator Gary Peters.
The candidates also differed sharply on Israel. El-Sayed criticised US involvement in the Middle East, including aid to Israel, while Stevens supported maintaining US assistance to Israel without conditions. El-Sayed’s position drew both support and opposition within Michigan’s Jewish community.
Trump called the result “Great news for the Republican Party” in a Truth Social post and renewed allegations of anti-Semitism against El-Sayed. El-Sayed rejected the allegation, saying he stood in solidarity with Jewish people and that anti-Semitism could be condemned while recognising “everybody’s pain.”
Michigan’s Senate seat is held by a retiring Democrat. The state last elected a Republican senator in 1994. The November midterms will determine control of Washington for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
Source: BBC News
