Former public health official Abdul El-Sayed defeated Democratic Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic Senate primary Tuesday, dealing another blow to establishment Democrats and the pro-Israel lobby.
El-Sayed beat Stevens after receiving endorsements from independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other far-left Democrats. While establishment Democrats supported Stevens, the pro-Israel lobby spent around $60 million to help Stevens win.
Stevens has served in the House since 2019, flipping her seat from red to blue. In the Senate race, she supported reforming rather than abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, implementing a public option over Medicare for All and expressing strong support for Israel.
El-Sayed campaigned on supporting Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, codifying abortion into law and permitting so-called “gender-affirming care,” according to his campaign website. He rejected the socialist label, stating that he is a “capitalist” who wanted to regulate monopolies and oligopolies.
“I’m not a socialist. I’m just a capitalist who understands how capitalism works,” El-Sayed said. “I think government ought to be there to regulate monopolies and oligopolies so that everybody can actually participate in the economy without having to be forced to pay more or get paid less.”
Sanders said in a campaign advertisement that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and further-left candidates are “taking on the establishment.”
“We are taking on the establishment all over this country. All over the country, ordinary people, unionists, young people, people of color [are] getting involved in the political process and they’re saying wait a minute, maybe the Democratic Party should belong to us and not just wealthy campaign contributors. And then in the midst of this comes Dr. Abdul El-Sayed,” Sanders said.
About $80 million had been spent on the Michigan Senate race, making it one of the most expensive races in the U.S., according to CBS News. Around $60 million had been spent on Stevens’ behalf, much of it coming from the pro-Israel lobby.
About 31% of donors who gave at least $200 to Stevens’ Senate campaign also donated to AIPAC since the start of 2025, The Detroit News reported in May. An AIPAC affiliate spent more than $5 million between campaign donations and independent expenditures in 2022, the last time Stevens ran in a House primary.
During a July 28 debate, El-Sayed attacked Stevens for receiving money from the pro-Israel lobby. Stevens doubled down on her support for Israel, arguing that she supported a two-state solution and “long-term peace.”
El-Sayed accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and criticized U.S. aid to the country. U.S. support for Israel has become a divisive issue within the Democratic Party, as 103 Democratic members of Congress voted for Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie’s amendment to slash $3.3 billion in foreign aid to Israel.
Stevens faced mockery for her bizarre campaign pep talk in mid-July.
“I am gonna be telling the stories on our behalf. And you better believe I’m gonna be doing it with a little bit of joy, a little bit of enthusiasm, a little bit of energy and a little bit of stick it to ‘em. Because that’s the Michigan way,” Stevens said.
Further-left Democrats and DSA candidates defeated longtime incumbents and establishment-backed candidates in the New York and Colorado races. DSA candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated five-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York’s 13th district in June, while socialist Melat Kiros beat incumbent Democratic Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, who served 29 years in Congress.
(DCNF)