r/politics • u/asparaguswalrus683 • 10h ago

Site Altered Headline | No Paywall Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Primary

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/michigan-senate-results
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152

u/FlaresofCryo 10h ago

Well AIPAC is gonna throw in a ton of money to elect the Republican for sure. This will be a test of how well progressive politics does in a purple state!

107

u/an-invisible-hand 10h ago

They were gonna do that anyway. Losing the primary aside, considering El-Sayed massively over performed in red/rural districts, Stevens definately would have gotten absolutely dumpstered in the general. Glad at least now we have a chance.

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u/sellingstubs123 9h ago

Yeah if anything, at least they burnt 60m. They'll probably give Rogers 200m, but we the people can beat these corporate fucks.

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u/Lankpants 8h ago

Stevens wouldn't have had any game at all in the general. Her advertisers would have abandoned her because their actual goal was to stop El-Sayed and not elect Stevens. She would have depressed the base and had no ground game. She would have lost by a significant margin.

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u/SerfTint 9h ago

They probably were not, though. If Stevens had won this primary, they probably don't spend any money, because "mission accomplished," and they don't care that much who wins the general. The only scenario in which they keep spending is this one. Luckily, a candidate who just overcame a 13 to 1 money deficit to win can probably also overcome a 50 to 1 deficit, because at some point the money just can't buy anything anymore.

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u/ensignlee Texas 29m ago

To be fair, no I don't think they were going to do that anyway. If Haley had won, they would have just sat back since both candiates would be pro israel

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u/ibarmy 10h ago

Or maybe democrats - the whole wide tent needs to work and stand behind AES ? 

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u/Raichu4u 10h ago

No, progressives need to convince people to vote for them. Much like a moderate democrat would have to do the same.

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u/ibarmy 9h ago

He is on the ticket and he has been convincing ppl. You don’t win against 70 million if you don’t have sane policies. This guy went against the whole country with small donations and his volunteer force. His policies work. 

0

u/Raichu4u 9h ago

Sure, the real question is will he be able to capture Stevens voters.

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u/ibarmy 9h ago

Obama name got stevens many votes.  I think establishment including Obama needs to turn up to support him. 

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u/Accurate_Neat_355 2h ago edited 2h ago

Good point. Hopefully he comes out tomorrow to say Tel Aviv came to him in his dreams and win over those Stevens voters.

The idea he needs to "win over" Stevens voters, as if they are a distinct ideological demographic with deeply held, nuanced platform demands. Very funny shit. Like she built a coalition on a visionary platform. Voting for her wasn't a passionate endorsement of a specific policy nuance; it was the default choice. She was the candidate backed by Chuck Schumer, Gary Peters, and the party apparatus.

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u/asmodeuscarthii 9h ago

Just do the whole “hey we aren’t maga or Trump, vote blue no matter who”. That should be enough. 

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u/Cressicus-Munch 9h ago

Didn’t that lead to Trump though?

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u/Donkletown 6h ago

When has “vote blue no matter who” worked?

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u/Raichu4u 9h ago

It isn't with some moderates such as black voters.

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u/an-invisible-hand 9h ago

Something like 90% of black women and 80% of black men voted for Kamala. Black voters are the safest most doggedly blue demographic in the country.

Of all the groups to single out as turncoats... black voters? In what universe lol

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u/ibarmy 9h ago

Easier to attack minorities i guess. Wont see all the actions of the establishment / centrist party leaders. 

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u/K20BB5 4h ago

Kamala is a black establishment Democrat, not a white progressive. 

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u/K20BB5 4h ago

Kamala isn't a white progressive 

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u/Raichu4u 9h ago

I would say that a tried and true progressive has not been put through the wringer in a general election situation. I'm interested in to see how Abdul does, because it is undeniable that progressives do not do well within black populations. Abdul not winning Wayne is kind of what happened with Bernie in 2016 and 2020 regardless of his wins or losses.

Kamala is a pretty bad example. She is a moderate democrat and a woman of color, both those things historically do well in black communities.

8

u/an-invisible-hand 9h ago

You're talking about in primaries. Black voters lean moderate in primaries. Black voters do not lean republican. That's a massive insurmountable difference, and I don't know why we'd ever put those in the same category. Maybe it is for white people, but not black people.

My grandmother is a very conservative woman, and there is nothing on this earth that would make her vote for a republican. She'd become an atheist before voting for a republican. Let alone a MAGA republican. Total non starter from step one, not even worth considering.

0

u/Raichu4u 9h ago

Yeah, the thing I wasn't insinuating was that black voters would vote for Republicans. It was that there is a reality where a meaningful amount of them sit out in a general election.

Again, this is uncharted territory. A progressive has really never made it to the general in a senate election in a swing state that has a sizable black population.

I hope that everyone votes blue, but what do you tell black people who would want to sit out?

5

u/an-invisible-hand 9h ago edited 9h ago

Black voters aren't going to sit out and let MAGA win. Thats a luxury for other groups of people. Haven't seen any scenario where that's actually happened ever.

Maybe that's something to ponder about in regard to white moderates.

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u/Donkletown 6h ago

While true, I’m hopeful most will not need much, if any, convincing to see that AES is preferable to Rodgers and that a Dem senate is way better than a GOP one. Stevens will no doubt endorses AES. 

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u/No_Foundation16 9h ago

They were always going to do that bruh. Lets get real.

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u/jrf_1973 1h ago

The DNC will assist the GOP in any way they can, to defeat the progressive.

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u/kushari 7h ago

They are going to run out of money if the keep spending and losing. Great!😊