Trump alleges election rigging as El-Sayed wins Senate primary in a state that President carried in 2024
United States Senate Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks on stage, with vote counting continuing for Michigan’s Democratic US Senate primary, during an election night rally in Detroit, Michigan, US, August 5, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Democratic Party’s progressive wing scored a high-profile victory when Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s US Senate primary, according to media projections on Wednesday, giving its anti-establishment message a boost ahead of November’s midterm elections.
El-Sayed, whose message focused on healthcare, the economy and an end to unconditional military aid to Israel, was the first progressive to win a statewide primary in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2024. He will face Republican former congressman Mike Rogers in November.
Tuesday’s vote, billed as a defining test of the party’s direction, became an election-night cliffhanger, with El-Sayed notching a narrow victory over US Representative Haley Stevens, a moderate supported by Democratic leaders and pro-Israel groups.
With 99% of the estimated votes counted as of 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Wednesday, El-Sayed was leading Stevens 48.5% to 47.5%, according to the Associated Press. The AP and CNN both called the race for El-Sayed, hours after NBC News did the same.
“Money out of politics. Money in your pocket. Medicare for All,” El-Sayed wrote on X early on Wednesday, declaring victory.
Midwestern swing state
The race served as a battleground between progressives and moderates over support for Israel, an issue that has played out in primaries nationwide this year. But unlike contests in liberal bastions, this was a statewide race in a Midwestern swing state for a seat Democrats must win if they have any hopes of securing a Senate majority in November.
Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in spending by a pro-Israel super PAC, and her supporters argued she was the more electable candidate in the general election.
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Analysts had said one significant factor in El-Sayed’s favor was that Michigan is home to some of the country’s largest Arab American communities, where hostility to Israel runs deep.
The result is likely to be scrutinized by prospective 2028 presidential contenders searching for a message to reconnect with voters after the party’s loss to Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
El-Sayed’s victory could intensify debate within Democratic ranks over the political appeal of economic populism, anti-establishment campaigning and a tougher approach toward Israel.
Tuesday’s results are consistent with broader signs of a leftward shift among Democratic voters. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found self-described liberal voters now make up 71% of Democrats, up from 55% in 2012, while large majorities said universal healthcare, expanded abortion access and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy are essential policy positions.
The poll also found deep Democratic skepticism of US support for Israel. Only 16% of Democrats backed continued military and economic aid to Israel, while 57% opposed it, suggesting El-Sayed’s criticism of US policy aligned with views that have become increasingly common within the party.
Ballots cast in Michigan and four other states
Voters in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington state also decided on US House candidates in Democratic primaries on Tuesday, including a handful that could determine whether the party retakes the lower chamber. Four of those races are considered general election toss-ups.
In a Lansing-area swing district in Michigan, progressive climate activist William Lawrence won the Democratic nomination after two moderate candidates split the center-left vote. Lawrence will face US Representative Tom Barrett in November.
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Democratic US Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and state Senate Republican Leader John Braun advanced to the general election in the state’s top-two primary. The progressive candidate, Brent Hennrich, finished a distant third.
In two Virginia districts expected to be competitive in November, Democrats nominated former US Representative Elaine Luria and Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor.
In Missouri, progressive Democrat Cori Bush failed in her bid to take back her seat from US Representative Wesley Bell in a rematch of 2024. A pro-Israel super PAC spent more than $8 million to help oust Bush, a vocal critic of Israel, in 2024 and more than $3 million this year to keep Bush out of Congress. Bell is heavily favored to win in November, as the St. Louis-area district is safely Democratic.
Trump alleges rigging after El-Sayed win
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sought to cast doubt on the integrity of Michigan’s elections as El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for the US Senate.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, singled out Wayne County, which includes Detroit, as he accused the area of being among the “most corrupt voting areas in the United States, if not the World.”
“Miracles happen in Wayne County, including more votes being cast than there are voters, by a lot,” Trump said, without providing evidence for the allegation.
His post came soon before the Associated Press called the race between El-Sayed, who had held a narrow lead over US Rep. Haley Stevens for several hours. El-Sayed had 48.5% of the vote, compared with 47.5% for Stevens.
Trump also warned of what he described as “fake mail-in ballots” potentially appearing “at the last moment,” and called for voters to support Republican Mike Rogers in November.
“Get ready for another Rigged Election,” Trump claimed, urging voters to support Rogers.
Rogers, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, has Trump’s endorsement and will face el-Sayed in the Nov. 3 midterms.
In a later post, Trump called el-Sayed a “Communist loser” and accused him of hating “Jews and Israel,” while celebrating his projected victory as “great news for the Republican Party.”
El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, campaigned on Medicare for All, campaign finance reform and ending US military aid to Israel. He was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the result “should be a wake-up call to the Washington Democratic establishment.”
Stevens, a four-term congresswoman backed by Peters, focused her campaign on manufacturing and argued she was better positioned to defeat Rogers.
Her campaign also benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including what was reported to be the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s largest-ever investment in a single race.
