Haley Stevens

Topline

Centrist Democrats coalesced around Abdul El-Sayed on Wednesday after he narrowly clinched the party’s Senate nomination in Michigan—while President Donald Trump and his allies highlighted El-Sayed’s progressive bonafides to boost their narrative the party is becoming too far left.

Key Facts

Chief Critic

President Donald Trump called El-Sayed “a Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel” and said his win was “Great news for the Republican Party” in a post on Truth Social.” Vice President JD Vance warned El-Sayed could “God forbid” become president and “undo all the incredible work that we’ve been doing,”during an unrelated press conference Wednesday. Trump also told Fox News on Tuesday he thinks El-Sayed will be an easier opponent for Rogers than Stevens.

Tangent

El-Sayed expressed support for the Jewish community in a speech Wednesday, rejecting claims of antisemitism over his push to halt U.S. aid to Israel and criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. “My commitment to Jewish safety is the same commitment that I have to the safety of my own daughters,” he said. Groups affiliated with American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a prominent pro-Israel lobbying group, poured tens of millions of dollars into Stevens’ campaign, but suggested it would support Rogers in the general election, writing in a statement its members “remain determined to ensure that voters reject Dr. El-Sayed and his radical anti-Israel agenda in November.”

Key Background

El-Sayed, a former public health official and epidemiologist, was endorsed by prominent progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He won by a more narrow margin than expected—just one percentage point—despite most polls leading up to election day showing him leading by double digits. He is among several high-profile left-wing victories this primary season, including another contest in a Detroit-area congressional district on Tuesday, where democratic socialist state Rep. Donavan McKinney unseated Rep. Shri Thanedar. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, widely considered the face of the DSA movement, commented on El-Sayed’s victory Wednesday, telling reporters, “I am proud to be part of a movement of politicians and candidates who are looking to put working class Americans back at the heart of our politics, and that’s our focus here in New York City, and just from what we’re seeing in Michigan, it looks like that’s what Michiganders want there to be their focus to be come November.” El-Sayed—referred to as “mini-Mamdani” by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was not endorsed by the DSA, and told The Wall Street Journal earlier this week he is “not technically or practically DSA.”

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