Overview
- Michigan’s Aug. 4 Democratic Senate primary is one week away and has been flooded with outside spending, including tens of millions from the United Democracy Project supporting Rep. Haley Stevens.
- A July 28 poll commissioned by the Michigan Education Association and Business Leaders for Michigan showed Stevens narrowly ahead of Republican Mike Rogers while Abdul El‑Sayed trailed Rogers by several points, a finding Democrats are using to argue about electability.
- Stevens and El‑Sayed clashed in their final debate on July 28 over outside money, U.S. aid to Israel, taxes and corporate ties, with both candidates accusing the other of weakening Democrats’ fall chances.
- In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong leads the Aug. 11 Democratic gubernatorial primary at about 44 percent in a State Navigate poll taken July 23–26 after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez withdrew and David Crowley reentered the race, and Hong softened earlier policing positions during the July 28–29 debate.
- Both races reflect a larger intra‑party battle between progressive insurgents and moderates and could affect policy focus on affordability and public safety while shaping Democrats’ chances to retain or win key statewide offices this fall.