Michigan’s August 4 Democratic Senate primary is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown between the party’s rising progressive insurgency and an establishment more focused on electability. Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is running against Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate with a track record of winning on red turf.
El-Sayed’s Platform
El-Sayed supports Medicare for All, wants to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and says the United States must cut off aid to Israel. He has also campaigned with pro-Palestinian Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who has made controversial comments in the past.
El-Sayed’s opponents, including the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, have highlighted some of these positions and called El-Sayed too radical for Michigan. However, El-Sayed believes that his message of fighting for the people and offering relief from the pain of everyday life will resonate with voters.
Stevens’ Campaign
Rep. Stevens, on the other hand, has positioned herself as a workhorse who gets things done in Washington. She has suggested that El-Sayed wants to be a celebrity senator instead of a effective legislator.
The Democratic nominee will face GOP ex-Rep. Mike Rogers in November, and the stakes are high. Democrats need to retain the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters to have a path to a Senate majority in the midterm elections.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
