A physician and progressive candidate won the Michigan Democratic Senate primary Wednesday morning after his opponent conceded, setting up a general election matchup that Democrats hope will help them take back Congress.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed announced his victory after Rep. Haley Stevens conceded the race. The margin was narrow. El-Sayed won by only 14,000 votes, roughly one percentage point, in a primary that split the Democratic Party between its progressive wing and its establishment leadership, according to ABC News.
El-Sayed was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other progressive figures. He campaigned on Medicare for All, affordability issues, and support for Gaza, a significant issue in a state with a large Muslim and Palestinian population. He repeatedly criticized Stevens for her votes supporting U.S. aid to Israel.
Stevens had the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other party leaders. During the campaign, she pointed to her experience in the House and her work on manufacturing issues. She portrayed El-Sayed as unprepared for the role. "Abdul is running for celebrity," Stevens said during a debate in July.
Despite the tension from the campaign, the party moved quickly to unify after the result. Schumer put out a congratulatory statement and called on Democrats to rally behind El-Sayed for November. "Democrats are united by a common purpose: putting a check on Donald Trump by defeating his Republican enablers and taking back the Senate. We look forward to working with Abdul and Democrats across Michigan to win this seat in November," Schumer said.
El-Sayed also extended an olive branch to Stevens. "She loves democracy like I love democracy," he said. "And whatever differences that we might have had in the primary, they pale in comparison to what unifies us."
El-Sayed will face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in the general election in November.
Elsewhere on Tuesday night, progressives fell short in Missouri. Former Rep. Cori Bush lost her rematch against Rep. Wesley Bell, who had unseated her two years ago. Bell, who was supported by pro-Israel groups, was projected to win early and ultimately won by around 22 percentage points. Bush had tried to capitalize on voter sentiment around Israel and the rise of progressive candidates elsewhere, but Missouri voters stayed with the incumbent.
President Trump addressed the primary results Wednesday in remarks to supporters in Las Vegas, also touching on the ongoing war with Iran.
