far-left democrat abdul el-sayed urges unity after michigan victory
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left-wing democrat abdul el-sayed called for party unity on wednesday after narrowly defeating rep. haley stevens in michigan to claim the nomination for one of the most important u.s. senate races this november.
“the things that unite us are so much bigger than the things that divide us,” el-sayed told his supporters, promising to build a movement to include voters who once backed kamala harris or donald trump in 2024.
“you know, in the words of muhammad ali, we shook up the world,” he said of his win over stevens, a four-term congresswoman, after an expensive and bitter primary, per afp.
el-sayed, a former public health official, will now face ex-republican congressman mike rogers in november for a seat which the democrats consider essential in hopes of regaining the senate. the senate is where the democratic party must defend michigan while gaining four republican-held seats.
championed abolishing ice, social reforms
el-sayed was declared the winner of the nomination shortly before 10 a.m. on wednesday. he led stevens by fewer than 15,000 votes out of more than 1.5 million cast.
more than us$80 million was spent on the michigan race, which made it the most expensive senate democratic primary ever, the new york post reported.
el-sayed had championed economic and social reforms, which included medicare for all, as well as abolishing immigration and customs enforcement, tax hikes and ending american aid to israel.
according to the post, el-sayed’s win is significant as it comes in a purple state (mixed with democrats and republicans) that backed trump in the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections. el-sayed will also become the first muslim elected to the senate in u.s. history if he defeats rogers.
‘drag us into the mud’
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el-sayed told his supporters that republicans would seek to portray him as too radical for the state and would use his muslim identity against him.
“they understand that the only way that they think they can win is to drag us into the mud,” he said, per afp.
the candidate urged voters who didn’t agree with his politics to unite around affordability, health care and opposition to corporate influence.
“my name is not raising your gas prices. my name is not taking us to war. my name is not the reason you can’t afford your groceries,” said el-sayed.
el-sayed called rogers a “coward” while challenging him to five debates and accusing him of loyalty to trump and corporate donors.
the democrat was backed by progressive leaders such as bernie sanders, alexandria ocasio-cortez and elizabeth warren, afp reported.
house armed services committee chairman mike rogers (r-al) speaks to the press at the u.s. capitol on october 17, 2025 in washington, dc. (photo by anna rose layden/getty images)
rogers says democratic in-fighting would hamper his challenger
el-sayed’s november opponent, rogers, told the post he predicted the democratic primary would hamper who challenged him in november.
“whoever comes out of it is going to have a coalition problem. remember, voting starts in about five or six weeks. we’re in an election cycle now,” rogers said hours after el-sayed’s primary win.
“we’ve been building toward that day. they’ve been fighting each other and moving further and further to the left,” rogers added.
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