MICHIGAN — Abdul El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for US Senate in Michigan after a primary election that drew significant voter attention and participation. The epidemiologist and former gubernatorial candidate led Haley Stevens by 14,893 votes, representing just under 1 percentage point of the more than 1.5 million ballots counted.

The Associated Press declared El-Sayed the winner early Wednesday after nearly all ballots statewide had been counted. The margin was extraordinarily close, and El-Sayed walked off the stage at his Tuesday night election party without declaring victory. Mike Rogers ran unopposed in the Republican primary for US Senate in Michigan.

Voter turnout reached 2.5 million people in Michigan’s primary election this month, an increase from the 2 million people who voted in the 2024 Michigan state primary election. In February 2024, approximately 100,000 people voted uncommitted in the Democratic Michigan primary. This shift reflected growing dissatisfaction with party leadership and a surge in third-party or independent candidate support.

Several other candidates secured Democratic nominations in Michigan. Eli Savit won the nomination for attorney general. Will Lawrence and Donavan McKinney secured nominations for US House seats. Chris Gilmer-Hill won the nomination for state House, and Yousef Rabhi secured the nomination for mayor of Ann Arbor.

Amin Hashmi, a 63-year-old Pakistani American Muslim engineer in Troy, Michigan, voted for El-Sayed over Stevens in this month’s Democratic primary. Hashmi described himself as a "solid Democrat" until 2024 and serves as a Republican precinct delegate. He also voted for Aisha Farooqi in the Democratic primary for the 11th district House seat, where she lost to pro-Israel candidate Jeremy Moss.

Samraa Luqman, a Yemeni American political activist in Dearborn, Michigan, voted for both Donald Trump and Abdul El-Sayed. Luqman called herself a "staunch Democrat" until 2024 and is backing El-Sayed in the November US Senate race in Michigan. Waqas Sarwar voted for Jill Stein in the 2024 general election but cast ballots for El-Sayed and Representative Rashida Tlaib in this month’s primary.

Zainab Bibi Ahmed voted uncommitted in the February 2024 Democratic Michigan primary and later voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the November 2024 general election. Ahmed is reportedly volunteering for El-Sayed's US Senate campaign. Rima Mohammad, co-founder of the People’s Coalition and an uncommitted delegate at the 2024 Democratic national convention, supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 general election.

El-Sayed supports Medicare for All and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Polling shows a majority of Democrats oppose military aid to Israel, while approximately 75% of Democrats support Medicare for All and abolishing ICE. Haley Stevens' campaign was heavily backed by Aipac.

The Democratic party’s approval rating has reached historic lows, at times sinking lower than Donald Trump’s favorability rating. El-Sayed previously placed second to Gretchen Whitmer in the 2018 Michigan gubernatorial Democratic primary.

El-Sayed’s campaign emphasized economic justice, climate action, and criminal justice reform. He has criticized U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly military support for Israel during the conflict in Gaza. His platform aligns with progressive factions of the Democratic Party, drawing support from grassroots organizations and younger voters.

Stevens, a sitting U.S. Representative, positioned herself as a moderate with a focus on manufacturing and national security. Her campaign received significant financial backing from pro-Israel groups, including Aipac, which spent over $2 million in the race. Despite the support, Stevens was unable to overcome El-Sayed’s momentum in urban centers like Detroit, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor.

Michigan’s Democratic primary featured ranked-choice voting in some jurisdictions, though the statewide results were determined by plurality. Election officials confirmed all ballots were processed within 72 hours of polls closing, with no reports of irregularities.

El-Sayed will face Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the general election. Rogers, a former FBI agent and U.S. Representative, has focused his campaign on border security and economic competitiveness. The Michigan Senate race is considered competitive, with national Democrats and Republicans expected to invest heavily in advertising and voter outreach in the coming months.

Political analysts note that El-Sayed’s victory reflects a broader shift within the Democratic Party toward progressive policies, particularly among younger and more diverse voters. His ability to consolidate support across racial, religious, and ideological lines may prove critical in the general election.