Progressive public health advocate Abdul El-Sayed has won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, defeating Congresswoman Haley Stevens in one of the party’s most closely watched primary contests.
Major U.S. media outlets declared El-Sayed the winner after nearly all ballots were counted, with the former health official holding a narrow lead of about one percentage point.
The race drew national attention after more than $60 million was spent during the campaign, with pro-Israel groups, led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), spending more than $30 million to support Stevens.
El-Sayed, who is of Egyptian descent, campaigned on a progressive platform and has described Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, arguing that U.S. resources should be redirected from overseas conflicts toward domestic priorities such as healthcare, housing and infrastructure.
He will now face Republican Mike Rogers in the November general election in a race that could help determine control of the U.S. Senate during President Donald Trump’s term.
If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Following the result, Stevens conceded the race and endorsed El-Sayed, while Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Senator Gary Peters also backed him for the general election.
President Donald Trump reacted to the result on social media, calling El-Sayed’s victory “great news” for Republicans and attacking the Democratic nominee ahead of November’s contest. (Newswire)