Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Primary for the U.S. senate seat, even though he did not win the majority of votes in Wayne County. 

He says that stems from historic tensions between Arab and Black residents. Speaking on the WDET program The Metro, El-Sayed said the mistrust among Black voters is valid. But President Donald Trump poses a bigger threat to the state. 

“[Trump threatens] our ability to afford the basic things, and certainly the Arab and Muslim community, and certainly the well-being of the Black community. You think about the assault on the Voting Rights Act, led by the folks that he appointed to the courts. We have to come together beyond differences to recognize that we’re all in the same boat now, and we’ve got a responsibility to come together to build the future that we want.” 

El-Sayed argues his Republican opponent in the general election, Mike Rogers, will back any policy Trump wants to pass. Rogers says El Sayed’s progressive views are too extreme. 

Additional headlines for Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026

Pet vaccinations

The state veterinarian is reminding pet owners to make sure their furry friends are up to date on vaccinations.

Dr. Nora Wineland says pets are exposed to contagious diseases through wildlife, other animals, ticks, mosquitoes and pathogens in the environment.  Wineland says summer activities increase pets’ risk of exposure to contagious diseases. 

DNR hosts Beginner Backpacking

Anyone interested in being guided through their first hiking and backpacking experience can sign up this week for a DNR training in September.

Beginner Backpacking at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park will teach the basics of backpacking as hikers set up their first camp along the shores of Lake Superior before hiking through the woods and along Mirror Lake to the highest peak in the park.

The training is Sept. 18- 20. Registration closes Friday, Aug. 14.

Planet Ant party

Planet Ant’s Colony Fest and Summer BBQ are happening this Saturday. From 2 p.m. until midnight, the community can celebrate the training and performance space in its Black Box building with food, yard games, Mario Kart and a beer tent. Admission is free.

The Colony Fest Improv Tournament happens at Ant Hall across the street from 8-10 p.m. The event is a comedy showdown with the four troupes who won improv battles in July competing in a head-to-head championship. Tickets are $12.51.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed says he saw it coming.

“When you launch a campaign and you’re trying to get money out of politics,” he told The Metro, “that invites record amounts of spending against you.”

More than $60 million in outside money went into last week’s Michigan Senate primary, most of it aimed at stopping him. The largest single source was AIPAC, whose super PAC spent about $30 million backing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens — the most the pro-Israel group has ever put into a congressional primary.

El-Sayed won by fewer than 15,000 votes.

He ran health departments in Detroit and Wayne County, and he now faces Republican Mike Rogers for a seat that could decide control of the Senate. If he wins, he would be the first Muslim to serve there.

He sat down with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent — in the same studio where he announced his run in April of last year.

The money that defined the race

El Sayed came back to the spending repeatedly, including when asked why he lost Detroit. “Ask yourself, if there was no outside spending in this campaign, where do we think votes would have gone?”

He won’t stop saying genocide

Did calling the war in Gaza a genocide drown out his message on health care? He said it isn’t a trade he’ll make: “The job’s not worth it. The work is worth it.”

To Jewish voters who hear his criticism of Israel as criticism of them: “Judaism and the Jewish people are a light unto the world. But Judaism and the Jewish people are different than AIPAC and the Israeli government.”

Black Democrats and the ‘uncommitted’ vote

Many Black Democrats in Michigan blame the 2024 “uncommitted” protest vote, which El-Sayed backed, for costing Kamala Harris the state. Keith Williams, who chairs the state party’s Black Caucus, endorsed Stevens and said El-Sayed was with uncommitted only when it suited him.

“Convenience would have been to say nothing and stay quiet,” El-Sayed said. He noted that Harris endorsed him Friday. “I don’t think she thinks I’m the reason that she lost.”

On mistrust between Black and Arab Detroit, he said Arab and Muslim Michiganders can’t object to anti-Arab racism while tolerating racism toward Black Detroiters. “Standing up against racism is about principle. It’s not about tribalism.”

Data centers and health care

El-Sayed said what he’d write into federal law on data centers, after campaigning against the Oracle and OpenAI project in Saline Township: protections for local water, no utility rate increases, guaranteed union jobs, and money held in escrow before construction begins.

On Medicare for All, he acknowledged a freshman senator can’t deliver it alone. “You can’t get it all in one shot. But politics, as all of us know, doesn’t just move linearly.”

The Metro has invited Republican candidate Mike Rogers on the program several times and has not heard back.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org.

More stories from The Metro

Michigan voters went to the polls Tuesday to select candidates who will meet in the general election in November. 

Congressman John James won the Republican primary for governor.  He had a tough competitor in businessman Perry Johnson.  Johnson ran a steady flight of television commercials, at times portraying James as a “DEI candidate.”  During the course of the Republican primary, James made few appearances in the city of Detroit.  

During his victory speech Tuesday night, James laid out his plans if he’s elected Senator. “We’re going to cut taxes.  We’re going to lower your energy bills.  We’re going to protect Medicaid for those who need it, while stopping fraud and abuse from those who would steal from it.”   

James will face Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in the November general election.  Benson easily beat Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary.  

During a speech to supporters in Detroit Tuesday night, she said she’ll work for Michigan voters if she’s elected governor in November. “Who do you want Michigan’s leaders to work for?  The people or the powerful?  Well, you all know who I work for.  I will work for all of you and every Michigander in this state.  Not the highest bidder.  Not corporate interests.  Not Donald Trump. You.”   

Benson is a Detroit resident. 

El-Sayed beats out Stevens for U.S. Senate race

In the most watched contest of the night, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed defeated Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.  

In a speech to supporters in Detroit Wednesday morning,  El-Sayed took aim at Republican Mike Rogers – who El-Sayed will face in the general election: “And so, Mike, and I know you’re listening, Mike.  We are coming for you.”  

With more than 60-million dollars in outside spending, the race is the most expensive U.S. Senate primary in history. El-Sayed beat Stevens by less than a percentage point. 

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

Congressional primaries

Detroiters watched two Democratic primaries for Congress yesterday.  Representative Rashida Tlaib easily defeated former state representative Shanelle Jackson and Inkster Mayor Byron Nolan in the 12^th Congressional District. 

State Representative Donavan McKinney defeated incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Michigan’s 13^th District primary.  Results show Mckinney won just over half the vote.  

McKinney says its time for a new style of politics, because it’s impossible for representatives to serve two masters. “You can’t serve the working people and the corporations at the same time.  You have to pick one, and so I think the people are calling for petter and I thing they’re calling our legislators and our Congress to do things for them and not on behalf of the few, but on behalf of the many.”   

McKinney also supported ending federal aid to Israel.  He says Congress should focus more on domestic needs.  Thanedar was seeking his third term in the U.S. House. 

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Other results

Incumbent Wayne County Executive Warren Evans easily won his primary race to win the right to run for another term as the Democratic candidate in November. 

Proposal S, which provides additional revenue for the Detroit Public Schools Community District passed overwhelmingly, as did the Wayne County Public Transportation Millage.  That measure will keep communities from being able to opt OUT of the SMART bus system. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

DETROIT (AP) — Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, defeating U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in a massive victory for the party’s progressive wing in a battleground state.

The real test of El-Sayed’s and progressives’ strength will now come in a November matchup against Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman who ran unopposed for the GOP nomination. The seat is pivotal to Democrats’ chances of flipping the Senate and El-Sayed will face the challenge of uniting a divided Democratic base after a bruising primary.

The race remained tight throughout Tuesday night, with a winner not declared until early Wednesday. In his final remarks at a primary night party before the race was called, El-Sayed said “tomorrow we begin to mend fences.”

El-Sayed’s campaign said Stevens called to concede Wednesday.

El-Sayed’s win represents a significant shift for the Democratic Party; in 2018 he lost the gubernatorial primary to now-Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by 21 percentage points.

El-Sayed, a former health official, campaigned on “Medicare for All,” halting military aid to Israel and campaign finance reform. He had support from progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who framed the race as a grassroots-focused movement and a broader fight against the establishment and big-money spending.

Stevens, a more moderate candidate, was backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and tens of millions in outside spending, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s largest outlay ever in a single race.

Now comes the more difficult challenge for Democrats: uniting the party to defeat Rogers, for whom Republicans have already reserved large sums of money ahead of the general election. Democrats consider the seat a must-win if they are to flip control of the Senate this year.

El-Sayed called for unity to defeat Rogers

Early Tuesday evening, El-Sayed’s supporters in Detroit’s Majestic Theatre cheered at the first batches of votes, before mellowing. Hours later Stevens’ previously subdued partygoers roared as she narrowed the margin.

“Whatever happens tonight,” El-Sayed told a thinned but still energetic crowd, “we have a responsibility to ensure that we unite, unite to make sure that Mike Rogers never sees the inside of the U.S. Senate.”

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, campaigned on “Medicare for All,” campaign finance reform and ending military aid to Israel.

Stevens, a four-term congresswoman, focused on manufacturing and the economy. She stressed her past victories in tough races, saying she would be best positioned to beat Rogers.

Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including the largest investment in a race ever from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports pro-Israel candidates.

Michigan is a must-win Senate race for Democrats

The race will help decide which party controls the chamber in the last two years of President Donald Trump’s term. Those stakes have added heat to the rivalry, with moderates arguing that El-Sayed would have a harder time than Stevens against a Republican in the general election.

Stevens won election to Congress in 2018 after serving as chief of staff to President Barack Obama’s auto task force, which helped oversee the federal rescue of General Motors and Chrysler. Her campaign and allied groups have repeatedly highlighted that experience.

El-Sayed cast himself as the anti-establishment candidate and argued that Democrats need to reject corporate influence and embrace a more progressive agenda.

While the candidate has said he is not a democratic socialist, he found support from some of the group’s members. That included Melat Kiros, who recently beat a longtime incumbent in a Democratic primary for a Denver-based House seat and was at El-Sayed’s watch party. Also there was Hasan Piker, a progressive and controversial influencer online.

The candidates’ differences were clear to some voters.

Kenneth Woodside, 87, of West Bloomfield, said he voted for El-Sayed over Stevens because “the nation is ready for someone who wants to take some more action rather than on the road we are now, which is on the road to an oligarchy and authoritarianism.”

Nessa Fuller, 51, of Birmingham, said she voted for Stevens because she will “fight to get the right things done, and she’ll work with other people, which is really important to me.”

Outside influences spent millions on the Senate race

National groups poured unprecedented sums into the race, making it one of the country’s biggest tests of outside spending.

Groups backing Stevens spent more than $50 million, led by more than $30 million from AIPAC and its affiliates.

The spending thrust Israel policy into the center of the race even though the ads never mentioned it. While El-Sayed called for ending military aid to Israel, Stevens maintained strong support for the relationship.

Israel became a contentious issue within the Democratic Party amid a war in Gaza that killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in its retaliatory offensive after about 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages were taken in attacks by the militant group Hamas.

A Detroit US House primary also too early to call

In a heavily Democratic district representing Detroit, the 13th, Rep. Shri Thanedar looked to fend off a primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who argued that the city should once again have a Black representative in Congress.

After Thanedar won election in 2022, Detroit had no Black representation in Congress for the first time since the early 1950s.

Story written by Joey Cappelletti, Jacqueline Ganun and Jesse Bedayn at the Associated Press.

This year’s primaries feature some competitive races that will mark battle lines come November and may even point to national trends.

This week on MichMash, WDET’S Cheyna Roth, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss some of the key things to look out for in Tuesday’s elections. They are joined by Gongwer reporters Nick Smith and Lily Guiney.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode

• Things to look out for on Tuesday’s primaries.
• What do the polls say about who will win their party’s nominees.

Here are some key moments the MichMash team is watching for on the Aug. 4 Michigan primary elections:

• Tuesday may be a referendum of where Michigan Democratic voters are leaning towards. The results of races for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate will tell us if progressives or established Democrats are the voice of the Michigan Democratic party.
• What will the national implications be and how much interest will Michigan draw after the results? The fight for U.S. Senate and House is tight, making a purple state like Michigan a key factor in determining who has control of Congress.
• Which party is more motivated? Voter turnout varies based factors like who is on the ballot. Tuesday’s results will tell us more about the upcoming midterm elections.

The primaries are on Aug. 4, 2026

More from WDET:

• MichMash: Democrat victory in special election may show where 2026 midterms are headed
• Inflation and the U.S. economy following the 2022 midterms
• Michigan’s Democratic senate primary is a tight, expensive race

Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate Primary is one of the most closely watched and deeply debated in the country.   

With less than two weeks to go before election day, Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed have gained supporters from across the state. 

Retired General Motors worker Theresa Landrum backs Stevens and her “fight” for the US Senate seat. 

“We need a fighter like that to fight tooth and nail for the people that are going to be harmed by this current administration,” Landrum said. 

El-Sayed supporter Andrew Lyon of Ferndale was originally set to support State Senator Mallory McMorrow’s bid, but a friend offered other options.  

“My friend was like, ‘Oh no, you gotta check out Abdul.’ And then I looked him up. I think it was on TikTok,” Lyon said. “(I) started following him, and then instantly (switched). What he wants to fight for is exactly what I believe in.” 

What are they fighting for? 

Stevens has promised to push back on the Trump Administration and the president himself. 

“I’m just fired up to be out here putting my hand up for Michigan in this serious moment,” Stevens said. “It’s no joke what is going on, with Donald Trump stealing from people, illegal impoundments of funds, going after voting rights.” 

El-Sayed says he has no love for the president, but he’s fighting against the Democratic Party’s centrist establishment too.   

“I’m not dangerous if you’re someone who needs government to work for you. But if you’re Chuck Schumer, damn right I’m dangerous,” El-Sayed said. “If you are someone who wants to stand in the way of government working for people, I am dangerous.” 

According to Adam Carlson, founding partner of Zenith Research, only 47% of democrats have a favorable opinion of Schumer.  He was commissioned to do a poll for the pro-El-Sayed veterans group Common Defense.   

It’s not like Democrats couldn’t see this coming. One of the first things that Mallory McMorrow did when she announced her run for Senate in 2025 was call for Schumer’s removal as Senate Minority Leader.  

In New York and Colorado, progressive candidates have primaried centrist incumbents and won. The big question is whether wins in deep blue districts can be replicated in purple states like Michigan.  

Carlson said the rage against the Democratic political machine leaves voters open to a left-wing populist.  

“I’ve never seen in my 13 years doing this voters so angry, frustrated with like conventional wisdom, and being told who is electable, and just inflation, cost of living, and all that. Just much more responsive to populism, more than a left-right divide,” Carlson said.  

Stevens – who has been supported by Schumer from the beginning of her run – doesn’t see this race as a referendum on Democratic Party leadership.   

“There are some people who are running who assume that’s what this race is all about, and I don’t think that’s fair to the people of Michigan,” Stevens said. “I believe that this race is about the future of Michigan and our workforce, and who’s going to get points on the scoreboard for organized labor.” 

What do voters want in their candidates? 

A recent poll by the Michigan-based Glengariff Group showed that the top two things voters want out of a Democratic senate candidate are “fighters” and someone who is “electable.”   

For Stevens supporters, electability is all about the general.   

Retired U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and retiring Senator Gary Peters both believe Stevens can beat Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Peters thinks Stevens will be able to face down a ton of money from Republicans in the general.   

“That’s why you have to have someone who has a proven track record of actually winning tough races. And that’s Haley Stevens,” Peters said. “She’s won tough races. She’s had that kind of money spent against her from outside forces. She’s an independent voice who stands up for Michigan folks.” 

But in this primary, those outside forces are on her side.   

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders spoke at a recent El-Sayed campaign event in Detroit about how he views this race. 

 

“With all due respect to Congresswoman Stevens, everyone knows that this is not an election between her and Abdul El-Sayed,” Sanders said. “This is an election between Abdul and the billionaire class.” 

Stevens doesn’t care for that characterization, but seems to agree that getting money out of politics is a good thing.   

“The thing is, is that we have to pass the laws to stop dark money. It is not about whether I say it or not as a point of altruism. This is actually about changing our laws,” Stevens said.  

With nearly $70 million spent so far, MIRS news is reporting that this is the second most expensive Democratic Senate primary ever, with a chance to supplant the 2024 Democratic primary in California.  

But it’s not just the money, it’s where it is coming from. El-Sayed is running the stronger grassroots campaign, taking money and ground game support from unions and related PACs totaling $850,000.  

He’s consistently been in the top 5 fundraisers on the Democratic fundraising platform Act Blue, a site that specializes in small dollar donations. Last quarter, El-Sayed outgained Stevens $4.5 million to $2 million in grassroots support and drew $65,000 more in individual donations than Stevens.  

More than $50 million has been spent on Stevens, largely in the form of TV and streaming ads. If you’ve turned on something with a screen in the past month, you’ve likely seen one. 

Since her first run for Congress in 2018, Stevens’ ties to the Obama-era auto bailout have been a center point of her campaign – though she’s never earned the endorsement of the United Auto Workers.   

What are the demographics of voters? 

Micqoua Franklin was one of the many that chatted with Stevens at a Juneteenth event in Detroit, and she said that as a Black voter, Stevens is “for us.” 

“Obama had her. That’s Obama girl. Obama girl is my girl. I know she’s gonna do right by us,” Franklin said.  

Polling backs up at sentiment too, with Stevens often having a 2 to 1 advantage among Black voters. However, President Obama has not made an endorsement in this race. 

At the rally in Detroit that featured Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the demographics of the largely white crowd didn’t match up with that of America’s largest majority-Black city. El-Sayed, who was the health department director for the city and the county writ-large, said he’s put in the work.   

 

“I’ve chosen to work in communities like Detroit and Wayne County, majority Black communities, to take on inequities my whole career. People are going to say what they say,” El-Sayed said. “My job is just to focus on defending the folks that I’ve been defending since I got into public service and let my work speak for itself.” 

There’s also the matter of the 2024 presidential election where many in the Black community felt betrayed by the Muslim and Arab American communities, resulting in a lingering resentment being heaped upon El-Sayed. 

Detroit political fixer Adoplh Mongo is one voter who echoes this sentiment. 

“He didn’t support Kamala Harris when she ran for president,” Mongo said. “He was like vote for none of the above that that sort of thing, and then when he did come to support, it was half-ass support.” 

However, El-Sayed did endorse Vice President Harris soon after she became the presumptive nominee. Fair or not, it’s a common perception among Black voters and politicos.   

Mongo is not a fan of Stevens either… citing her ‘yes’ vote for a resolution honoring slain conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk. Even so, Mongo says Black voters will likely support whomever in the general election.   

“Democrats, they the most unloyal people in the world in Detroit. And you know we love them—I’m saying Black folks—when they don’t even love us,” Mongo said. 

Campaign ads and Middle Eastern conflict 

A Stronger Michigan is one of the dark money groups putting up millions in ads for Stevens. There’s also UDP, or the United Democracy Project. Sounds bland enough, but it’s a front for AIPAC – the American Israel Political Affairs Committee.   

Stevens is not Jewish but is an advocate for Israel.   

“I will continue to fight for the people of Israel. I will continue to fight for Israel’s existence,” Stevens said. “Israel comes to me in my dreams. I see Israel’s future. And I know that Israel will continue to exist for the Jewish people!”

Four years ago, when redistricting had Stevens and former Congressman Andy Levin – who is Jewish – battling it out in a primary, AIPAC kicked in millions to help Stevens win.  

This time, AIPAC is helping to defeat El-Sayed, a Muslim. 

AIPAC wants to keep American money and weapons flowing to Israel. American taxpayer support of Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon has become a political flashpoint.  

Last year, the United Nations and the International Association of Genocide Scholars have released reports classifying Israel’s attacks in Gaza as genocide.  

Last week, Stevens voted to continue funding and arming Israel without conditions.  

El-Sayed—and many of his supporters— believe that too. 

Robert Baker, a voter from Westland, considers this issue to be “right at the top of” his list. 

“For the last three years, we’ve been seeing nonstop destruction in Gaza. We’ve seen what it was and what it is now, and all the people that are dead, all the people missing, and all the war crimes that are being recorded by IDF soldiers and published,” Baker said. “I feel like Abdul is someone that is going to take charge to make sure that this kind of stuff stops happening in our politics, and that our politics stops getting sold out to AIPAC and other big corporation PACs.” 

When Mongo talks about feeling betrayed by Muslim and Arab American voters who did not lend their support to Kamala Harris, US foreign policy toward Israel was the reason. Harris refused to distance herself from President Biden’s position, and it cost her politically.  

In a general election, her Pro-Israel stance could cost Stevens too. Data from Carlson’s poll seems to suggest it could have an impact. 

“31% of very progressive and liberal voters hold a strongly unfavorable view of Haley Stevens,” Carlson said. “26% of very progressive liberal voters say they’re undecided if Stevens is nominee against Mike Rogers.” 

El-Sayed knows he has an uphill battle when it comes to electability and likeability because of his faith. The Michigan Republican Party has already taken to referring to him by his full name: Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed. It’s a scaremongering tactic and why everyone know President Obama’s middle name is Hussein.  

El-Sayed brushes off things like that because getting angry about it gives them what they want. 

 

“I’ve been Abdul my whole life,” El-Sayed said.  “I was Abdul when I got voted captain on my high school football team and wrestling team and lacrosse team by people who weren’t named Abdul, who didn’t have names like mine. The reason they supported me is because my whole life I’ve been explaining myself, and so you get pretty good at explaining yourself, and I’ve learned that when people get past the name, they’re a lot more interested in what you have to say.”

Who will win on August 4? 

Stevens is less reliant on charm and more reliant on millions being pumped into TV and streaming ads. Her canvassing efforts have been lacking.  

El-Sayed has over 10,000 campaign volunteers. His lawn signs are everywhere – not just in Metro Detroit but outstate as well. Recent rallies drew thousands in a way Stevens has been unable to replicate. But lawn signs don’t vote, and rallies are often packed with volunteers.  

Will El-Sayed prove that charisma and lefty populist politics can be palatable in a purple state? 

Can Stevens get by on her stay-the-course center left politics and campaign ad ubiquity? 

Michigan’s primary election is August 4. 

Outgoing US Senator Gary Peters is endorsing Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for US Senate. 

Peters described Stevens as an “outstanding” candidate who will hit the ground running on day one. He talked about working with Stevens during the Obama administration and how he thinks that experience gives her a leg up over her opponent, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. 

“We want someone who can come in that doesn’t have a learning curve,” Peters said. “Someone who’s going to immediately represent the people of Michigan and fight for their interest. She’s Michigan through and through.” 

Peters changed his mind on endorsement

Peters said he wanted to stay out of endorsing in the Democratic primary until he realized how Michigan’s elections will impact the entire country. He said he sees “chaos” in the Trump administration, with inflated prices making it harder for Michiganders to buy gas and groceries. 

“It’s absolutely essential that a Democrat wins in Michigan. We need to have a check and balance with the administration,” Peters said. 

Peters denied his sudden endorsement meant the Stevens campaign was “panicked” as alleged by the Michigan Republican Party.

“That should be very telling when Republicans are making that comment. I guess they want the other candidate to win.”

El-Sayed has largely been leading in the polls since the beginning of May.

Representing Michigan

Peters described Michiganders as “practical, common-sense folks” who just want to get things done. To Peters, out-of-state endorsements for El-Sayed don’t reflect the needs of Michigan. 

“To me, this race is about Michigan,” Peters said. “It’s not about who’s attracting a national audience or who’s on national TV. It’s about who’s actually delivering for the people of Michigan.” 

However, money from outside sources like AIPAC has benefited Stevens’ campaign, with millions of dollars coming in for ad campaigns. 

Challenging the GOP

Peters says there would be big spending for Republicans in their primary if Mike Rogers had a serious challenger. 

“Whoever wins the primary, part of that $45 million of Republican money is going to go after that person with everything they’ve got, and that’s why you have to have someone who has a proven track record of actually winning tough races,” Peters said.  

What people should be focusing on instead of money, according to Peters, are the messages from each Democratic candidate.

On the Republican side, Peters said that Mike Rogers will serve as a “rubber stamp” for the Trump administration instead of serving the needs of Michigan. 

Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow suspended her campaign for U.S. Senate three days after earning an endorsement from the Detroit Free Press.  

Nancy Kaffer, the editorial page editor of the Freep, said they will not be endorsing another candidate in this race. 

“We said what we said, and we just have to sit with it,” Kaffer said.  

Now that only Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed remain, Kaffer said it seems likely that former McMorrow voters will split between the candidates and that neither of them will “clean up.” 

“If you valued prior elected experience as a McMorrow voter, you might gravitate to Stevens,” Kaffer said. “If you prized pushback against the status quo and a more ambitious agenda around health care or a more firm stance against Israel, you might gravitate to El-Sayed.” 

The future of the Democratic primary 

Kaffer said that although she has been covering Michigan politics for 26 years, she is unsure about what will happen next.  

One thing that muddies the waters, she said, is unreliable polling.  

“We’re seeing polls come out from outlets that I’ve never heard of that don’t operate in this state,” Kaffer said. 

When she is wary of an unfamiliar poll, Kaffer said she always looks at their methodology. One form of polling Kaffer avoids is those conducted via text, which can be skewed by simply sharing the link to others.  

“People are creating narratives based on some really questionable polling, and that’s unfortunate because a big part of campaigning is narrative, and sometimes people are winning because they seem to be winning,” Kaffer said. 

Kaffer described Michigan as a “fascinating” and “complex” state and warned against anyone who says they have all the answers. 

“This whole thing is really a test case, and anyone who says that they know what’s happening here, they are selling you something,” Kaffer said.  

One concern Kaffer said she sees is the growing divide in the Democratic party. She described it as “risky” for the Democratic primary nominees to make strong accusations against one another because they will end up alienating themselves from the other side of their own party.  

Although Kaffer is uncertain about the outcome of this race, she has a prediction about its general direction. 

“I think it’s going to get even weirder,” Kaffer said.  

“In this episode”

• Key takeaways from the Democratic U.S. Senate debate.
• Analysis of the Republican gubernatorial debate.
• How did each debate show divides among party candidates?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Both the Democratic U.S. Senate debate and the Republican gubernatorial debate showed the divides among the party’s candidates. This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben and Zach Gorchow break down the major components of the race.

During the Republican gubernatorial debate, former Attorney General Mike Cox and businessman Perry Johnson called out the current frontrunner U.S. Rep. John James. In return James had some rebuttals for the two, one of which he may have created because of a MichMash episode.

On March 20th’s episode of MichMash, businessman Perry Johnson said
Johnson touted repealing the income tax will save every family $4,747. On the episode he mentioned part of his calculous was using Google or Chat GPT to figure out the median income in Michigan.

Kasben said James brought those numbers into question. “James called Johnson’s income tax plan magic numbers. That was an interesting attack from James on Johnson’s main policy point for his campaign.”

In the U.S. Senate debate, the remaining two candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens showed their different styles, presenting two different looks of a Democratic candidate. Gorchow pointed out both candidates might still have different challenges when facing their Republican opponent. “I think they both definitely have their own challenges, but I think based on the environment, I would give the Dems the advantage going into November regardless of if it’s El-Sayed or Stevens.”

The Michigan primary elections are on August 4.

More from WDET:

• Detroit Evening Report: Congressman John James calls for smoke control in Gordie Howe Bridge deal
• The Metro: What Michigan’s Senate race reveals about the state — and future — of the Democratic Party
• McMorrow drops bid for US Senate

Come November, thousands of political seats are up for grabs.

One of the most compelling races in Michigan is the Senate. That’s in part because of what it says about the Democratic Party, especially after Mallory McMorrow dropped out.

Most polls have Abdul El-Sayed leading in the race, but there is still uncertainty as to whether he can defeat Haley Stevens, a sitting congresswoman who gained notoriety for her moderation, and for bailing out the auto industry.

Dennis Darnoi is the founder of Densar Consulting, based in Farmington. He says many voters want candidates that have an anti-institutional and populist bent.

“Progressive candidates are running against these establishment candidates and they’re being more successful because the Democratic base is really looking for two things: They’re looking for people who are going to fight and they’re looking for people who are anti-system.”

Darnoi spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about the Senate race and how it reflects changes to politics in Michigan and beyond.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and stream on-demand.

Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow has suspended her campaign for US Senate. 

In a video announcing her decision, McMorrow highlighted some of her and her colleague’s accomplishments in the Michigan legislature.  

“We repealed Michigan’s abortion ban. We raised wages. We made sure every child gets breakfast and lunch at school. We made it easier to go to college. We expanded civil rights, voting rights, and so, so much more,” McMorrow said.  

While McMorrow was not forthcoming her reasons for suspending her campaign, funding might have been an issue.  

Corporate PACs have spent heavily on Congresswoman Haley Stevens, with millions of dollars in ad-buys before McMorrow ever aired her first commercial. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is running a campaign to the left of McMorrow and has also abstained from taking corporate PAC money. 

Even though McMorrow is leaving the race, she said she will not leave the “fight.” 

“So, here’s what we do next,” McMorrow said. “Every day through November 3, we win this Senate seat, and we send Mike Rogers back to Florida for good. Whoever wins this primary on August 4 will have my full support.” 

Reactions from both sides 

Stevens said she looks forward to working with McMorrow in the future, while also making her case as the strongest candidate to defeat Republican Mike Rogers in the general election.  

“Anyone who raises their hand to serve the people of Michigan and puts forward thoughtful ideas for how they would lead earns my respect,” Stevens wrote.  

On the same day of McMorrow’s announcement, Stevens earned an endorsement from Attorney General Dana Nessel.  

El-Sayed said people who are unhappy with corporate money in politics should consider his campaign.   

“The reality of it is that $30 million of AIPAC spending that came in to drown out Senator McMorrow’s voice, that’s coming in an even uglier way against me,” El-Sayed said. “So I’m hoping that folks who supported Senator McMorrow wants to make sure that we have a voice in our politics.” 

The Michigan Republican Party called both Stevens and El-Sayed “Marxist radicals,” asserting that Rogers will hold the future primary winner “accountable” for “turning their backs on Michigan’s families.” 

What happens next? 

Stevens and El-Sayed will face each other in a debate at Grand Rapids on Tuesday.   

Mail-in ballots were already delivered, meaning McMorrow’s name still appears. People who have already voted and wish to spoil their ballot may do so at their local clerk’s office.