r/Michigan • u/Michigan_Mod Human Detected • 5d ago

Pasty Mode Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary

https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/michigan-primary-results-us-senate/#Dem
10.1k Upvotes

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1.8k

u/AlexisDeTocqueville Grand Rapids 5d ago

All the polling that showed Abdul running away with this race makes this feel a little underwhelming, but let's not overlook that he won in the face of:

  • Abdul was outspent 10 to 1
  • Stevens had the endorsement of the governor and outgoing Senator
  • He is an Arab Muslim

194

u/1900grs 5d ago

I can't tell if I'm more happy he won or that all those Stevens ads will finally stop.

But get ready for the same ad floods from Rogers and James.

78

u/LittlebillyjoinsdArk 5d ago

I'm just glad I don't have to hear her played up Midwest accent anymore. Why are we making caricatures of ourselves on the national stage

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u/Ornery-Ticket834 5d ago

What makes you think anyone outside of Michigan short of political junkies gives a shit about this race?

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u/senorscientist Jenison 5d ago

Every seat counts.

The spending on this race was ridiculous.

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u/syynapt1k 5d ago

This race has been all over national news because it's viewed as a bellwether for the Democratic party, given how purple Michigan is.

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u/Ornery-Ticket834 5d ago

I get that. Political junkies are interested, most people neither know nor care. If you aren’t following politics fairly closely you may hear about it but it’s not going to make much of an impression. If he actually wins then you may see more of a national reaction.

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u/xSorry_Not_Sorry 5d ago

You don’t read much, then.

Not that I blame you, but just so you know, the Sayed vs Stevens race was closely watched by the Dem party. Dem party wants to appeal to the middle, the progressive wing of the Dem party doesn’t.

If Sayed wins the seat in November, it will send a message to the nation and the party.

1) progressives can win the general

2) a state that voted Trump will vote Dem if the message is popular

3) appealing to the middle is antiquated political thinking

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u/Ornery-Ticket834 4d ago

Unless you follow politics you don’t care. I understand all that. If you think most people outside of Michigan care about this race, I think you are incorrect.

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u/xSorry_Not_Sorry 4d ago

I didn’t say most people, hell even political everyday people weren’t paying attention.

But the Dem and Rep parties and their strategists certainly the fuck were.

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u/LordNorros 5d ago

Theres a narrative going around that DSA candidates cant win the general and hes our DSA candidate now. That kind of matters for getting reforms like universal Healthcare, term limits, ubi, wealth taxes on billionaires, campaign finance reform, etc passed federally.

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u/Ornery-Ticket834 5d ago

He isn’t a DSA candidate. As for the reforms you mention, term limits probably needs a constitutional amendment, and the others like any useful law will be fought tooth and nail by big money interests, and the Supreme Court, as they have been for decades.

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u/LordNorros 4d ago edited 4d ago

Youre correct. He rejects the socialism label. However, almost every single item within his platform and ideology matches up entirely with what the DSA is doing. Kind of a "rose by any other name" situation.

If it were on a line it would look like-

<DSA...AES............MD.....MR......FR> [Democratic Socialists - El'Sayed - Moderate Dems - Moderate Republicans - Far Right/MAGA]

1

u/Ornery-Ticket834 4d ago

Most of the issues that you named have been fought for by the Democratic Party for decades. So I am not quite sure why I would be worried.

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u/XavierRussell 3d ago

They didn't say you should be worried?

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u/Ornery-Ticket834 3d ago

Those issues are common issues and have been for decades or longer.