Overview
- Michigan Democrats voted Tuesday, Aug. 4 to decide who will run for the open Senate seat left by Sen. Gary Peters, who announced in April that he would not seek re‑election.
- The race has narrowed to progressive Abdul El‑Sayed and moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, with major national endorsements split between the party’s establishment and its progressive wing.
- Tens of millions of dollars from outside groups have flooded the primary, including roughly $30 million tied to pro‑Israel AIPAC‑linked efforts that have largely benefited Stevens.
- Public polls before voting showed El‑Sayed leading in the Democratic primary while some head‑to‑head general‑election polls suggested Stevens would perform better against Republican Mike Rogers.
- The campaign turned combative in the final days, with explosive exchanges over Israel and Gaza policy, controversial surrogates such as Hasan Piker drawing criticism, and debates over which nominee would best compete in November.