Michigan primary results: How the progressive candidates did
Abdul El-Sayed's speech after winning Democratic Senate primary
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed speaks in downtown Detroit after clinching the Democratic Senate primary by one percent over Rep. Haley Stevens.
Michigan’s primary results are in – and progressives here fared well in the primary election.
Voters, seemingly eager for change, embraced the three progressive Democratic candidates in Michigan that had been backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders
- Abdul El-Sayed (Senate)
- William Lawrence (7th Congressional district)
- Donavan McKinney (13th Congressional district)
Michigan primary 2026
Big picture view:
Curtis Hertel Jr., the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, said Wednesday before El-Sayed’s victory speech that Michigan saw the highest turnout for Democrats in the history of a primary election.
"And, more importantly, over 500,000 more Michiganders voted in the Democratic primary than in the Republican primary," he said.
For context:
In Michigan, you can’t split your ticket in a primary election.
See primary race results here.
Abdul El-Sayed wins Senate primary
By the numbers:
Abdul El-Sayed’s victory over Haley Stevens was ultimately so narrow that it wasn’t assured until almost all ballots cast statewide were counted.
At the time AP declared him the winner, El-Sayed led Stevens by 14,893 votes — a margin of just under 1 percentage point — out of more than 1.5 million ballots counted.
Dig deeper:
The 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.
El-Sayed cast himself as the anti-establishment candidate and argued that Democrats need to reject corporate influence and embrace a more progressive agenda.
RELATED: Senate primary winner Abdul El-Sayed talks upset over Haley Stevens: 'We shook up the world'
What they're saying:
El-Sayed said during a debate on FOX 2’s "The Pulse" that he doesn’t consider himself a socialist, but rather, a capitalist who understands how capitalism works.
Abdul El-Sayed on if he considers himself a socialist
Abdul El-Sayed described his politics and if he considers himself a socialist during the Democratic Senate primary debate on FOX 2.
The other side:
Stevens was backed by the Democratic establishment, including outgoing Sen. Gary Peters, whose retirement spurred a scramble to fill his seat.
Outside groups backing Stevens spent more than $50 million, including more than $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, amounting to the largest investment ever from the organization that supports pro-Israel candidates.
Haley Stevens says $46M in AIPAC funding should not concern voters
Rep. Haley Stevens has been backed by more than $46 million in spending by AIPAC, but she says that should not concern Michigna voters.
AIPAC issued a statement Wednesday saying it would oppose El-Sayed and "his radical anti-Israel agenda" in November’s election.
What's next:
Stevens, Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin have all put their support behind El-Sayed for the general election in November. El-Sayed will face off against Mike Rogers.
Michigan is a must-win Senate race for Democrats as it will help decide which party controls the chamber in the last two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
READ MORE: Mike Rogers, Abdul El-Sayed waste no time going on the attack as November looms
William Lawrence
Big picture view:
William Lawrence, a progressive candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and El-Sayed, won the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District.
He beat out two other more moderate candidates.
Local perspective:
Michigan’s 7th Congressional district centers around Lansing and includes Howell and Brighton.
Dig deeper:
Lawrence is a community organizer and coalition-builder who has helped dozens of Mid-Michigan families avoid homelessness, according to his website. He is also a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, which advocates for political action to tackle climate change. He was raised in East Lansing and lives there currently with his wife.
What's next:
Democrats are hoping to flip the seat back to blue come November, after Tom Barrett won last year and is running uncontested.
READ MORE: Michigan primary results: William Lawrence wins 7th district
Donavan McKinney
Big picture view:
Donavan McKinney, a 34-year-old state representative endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders and El-Sayed, and backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, unseated incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar.
Dig deeper:
Thanedar, while still a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has broken with the DSA on a few critical areas.
Most notably, Thanedar broke off his own membership with the DSA in October 2023 over his support for Israel.
"I can no longer associate with an organization unwilling to call out terrorism in all its forms. Sunday’s hate-filled and antisemitic rally in New York City, promoted by the NYC-DSA, makes it impossible for me to continue my affiliation. I stand with Israel and its right to defend itself," Thanedar wrote in a statement after the Oct. 7 terror attacks that left 1,200 Israelis dead.
Local perspective:
After Thanedar won election in 2022, Detroit had no Black representation in Congress for the first time since the early 1950s.
The 13th district includes Wayne County, parts of Detroit and surrounding downriver and Grosse Pointe communities.
Missouri primary
Meanwhile:
Outside of Michigan, former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush lost to incumbent Wesley Bell in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, a rematch of the 2024 primary where Bell unseated Bush.
Bush was the progressive candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from previous FOX 2 reporting, The Associated Press and FOX News.