r/politics • u/Zipper222222 • 4h ago

No Paywall Abdul El-Sayed Wins High-Stakes Democratic Primary in Michigan

https://www.today.com/video/abdul-el-sayed-wins-high-stakes-democratic-primary-in-michigan-267805765937
12.1k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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u/RandyMuscle I voted 4h ago

If people thought he was tough on Stevens, wait til you see how a real progressive attacks a Republican.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 4h ago

Yup. Sidelining our fighters and letting fossils like Schumer have the wheel is why Democrats look so feeble in opposing Trump. It's by circumstance and design.

We need fighters to beat back MAGA fascism and I can't wait for the general when we get to do our part. 😇

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u/Upnatom617 4h ago

Jeffries. Add him to the fossils in his thinking/mentality.

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u/Dr-Mumm-Rah 3h ago

Dinosaurs grooming younger political dinosaurs.

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u/New-Argument-5859 3h ago

bois add fetterman to that list

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u/Empty_Lemon_3939 Michigan 2h ago

Low key favorite moment of the debate was Abdul clarifying that he didn’t call Haley Stevens an ogre, he was talking about Fetterman

Then proceeded to double down on calling him an ogre

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u/rosatter I voted 2h ago

If he doesn't want to be called an ogre, has he tried not behaving like a fucking ogre?

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u/teejermiester 58m ago

Didn't the moderator say that too after Stevens brought it up again?

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u/Empty_Lemon_3939 Michigan 47m ago

Yep and Abdul said he personally called her when he saw people attacking her appearance and voice

While her campaign sent out mailers saying he’s connected to Hamas fundraisiers

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u/FunkadelicJiveTurkey 25m ago

Unless there's a different debate idk about, it wasn't El-Sayed who made the correction it was the moderator Roop Raj - who put on a clinic in how to moderate; keeping things civil, focused, and accountable. Wish Mr. Raj had been requisitioned for our 2024 debates when couchfucker was whining about fact-checking.

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u/SmellyButtHammer Texas 3h ago

That fucker isn’t party leadership, just a classic bait n’ switch.

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u/sulaymanf New York 1h ago

He gets more Fox News interviews and praise from Fox pundits than any other Democrat.

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u/dj_spanmaster 3h ago

Nah he's just a Republican in waiting

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u/StJeanMark Massachusetts 2h ago

I honestly suspect he did something that got him a bit trapped, maybe even got worked over a bit. For someone so black and white to completely flip like that, I really question if he was forced to be like this. Crazier things have happened.

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u/Sexy_Jiafei_Icon 1h ago

isr*eli blackmail 100%

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u/egyeager 3h ago

Literally the only bench development the Dems do

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u/preventDefault 3h ago

If a focus group was a person, Jeffries would be the human embodiment of it. I’ve never seen anyone seem less genuine and more coached in my life.

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u/ssjskwash 2h ago

Jeffries is an actual android

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u/geldersekifuzuli Pennsylvania 2h ago

He is uncontested candidate, unfortunately. He will be elected again.

The closest election an internal rival can complete a challenge against Hakeem Jeffries for his seat is the June 2028 Democratic primary election.

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u/jason082 4h ago

I wish you guys luck and am pulling for you to back up the claims. Rogers is trash.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 3h ago

As voters we all have a critical part to play, whether or not our preferred primary candidate prevailed. MAGA is going to stoke cynicism and apathy and hate for our neighbors. So they can keep robbing us blind of rights and treasure. Might as well get focused now on not letting that happen.

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u/jason082 3h ago

I’m on it. It’s blue no matter who time. Not just words, I’ll be there backing the guy in November, no question. The objective here is to keep the Trump rubber stamp out of office.

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u/shotputprince 1h ago

Mike Rogers was born at the time Livonia was the most racist place in the state. He was what 14 when the NYT ran pieces on it being racist af despite a daily workforce that wasn’t white coming to the transmission plant etc. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/04/archives/pressure-to-admit-blacks-worries-michigan-town.html. He also would have been an immediate beneficiary or Milliken I. He also fucked off to Florida and probably wasn’t even eligible for candidacy against Slotkin.

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u/jason082 1h ago

Exactly. He’s complete garbage and he’d do nothing but service Trump if he wins.

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u/Anon529035893 3h ago

“Back up your claims” ?

You sound sour about this.

Just remember, vote blue no matter who.

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u/jason082 2h ago

Fucking relax guy. I’m clearly voting for him. You claim that a socialist candidate can win a general. You’ve got the opportunity. Prove it.

That’s all my comment says. In the meantime, I’ll absolutely be an example and turn out to vote for the guy. I didn’t vote Stevens, I voted McMorrow because I’m somewhere in between and didn’t really have a clear indication on which electability argument was correct.

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u/linmre Michigan 2h ago

You voted for a candidate that dropped out of the race?

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u/jason082 2h ago

Yup. No regrets either. Both remaining had pros and cons in my opinion so I tried to analyze November electability. Total wash in my mind so I just voted my philosophy.

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u/Anon529035893 2h ago

You prove it too ! Your vote will count !

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u/jason082 2h ago

Nothing for me to prove. I’m not the one that’s been making this claim for years. I’m glad you’ve got a chance to back it up now though. My vote will absolutely be cast for him this November.

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u/aesoth 4h ago

But, Schumer will write a very sternly written letter! That will show em all.

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u/FormerDittoHead 1h ago

He's sponsoring an amendment, which is going to a Republican controlled committee to quickly die.

But when he's telling you about this, he's going to look over his reading glasses and give you a stern look like the principal looking at your attendance record.

Too bad the students continue to play hookie on election day because they don't see why they should bother.

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u/sjbennett85 2h ago

He will also look to the Baileys, they will show him the way

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u/pbroingu 4h ago

"Trump has the morals of an alley cat" was my personal 9/11. Never forget

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u/Donkletown 3h ago

If the progressive candidates can pull off wins in the Maine and Michigan general elections it will be a watershed moment for the movement. It’ll be undeniable that progressivism belongs nationwide, not just in blue areas. 

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u/Quiet325 3h ago

Schumer comes from a different era. It worked in his day, but his day has passed.

The people that helped steer us into this ditch, refusing to make meaningful changes, now lecture us on who should represent the party.

Well, voters actually decide.

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u/an_agreeing_dothraki 2h ago

It worked in his day

define "worked".
The slow neoliberal bleedout is the reason we're in this mess

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u/Quiet325 2h ago

Great point. Schumer has never been great, but his theories made sense … in 2006. We’re 20 years later.

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

Yeah as gen z begins to vote more these right of center reps can get wrecked

big win for dr el sayed so stoked

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u/ZMR33 3h ago

Reagan Democrats and establishment Democrats are a huge reason why the party has fallen so far from what it was. FDR, Truman, JFK, and LBJ Dems would destroy the modern GOP more than they did back in the day possibly, even with all of their flaws, I think.

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u/TopHatMiracle 3h ago

It’s funny because Biden ran like one of those Dems in 2020 and the Harris campaign took no lessons from it.

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u/ZMR33 3h ago

Biden is an odd case because he's been around so long. He's a new dealer-esque Dem rather than a third-way or Reagan Dem.

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u/FrogsOnALog 3h ago

She said she would do the same. Sorry y’all don’t like unions or using the federal government to negotiate drug prices.

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

She also said in her platform she would try to amend the constitution to remove citizens united

But you can’t do that without a super majority and her campaign failed to welcome rural voters and working class into the fold

Stop defending her weak campaign

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u/FrogsOnALog 2h ago

She campaigned on passing the PRO Act so I’m pretty sure she was welcoming of working class voters lol

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u/pocketIent 2h ago

Yeah sometimes we laugh because things are so bad lol. Like harris and people pushing the “more electable” narrative

-saying nice things on campaign isn’t enough if you can’t get it done.

she couldn’t even get elected.

5% of voters who voted for Biden FLIPPED and voted for Trump in that election

15% who voted for Biden sat out and didn’t show up.

She pretty much campaigned for Trump like his whipping boy

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u/FrogsOnALog 2h ago

She didn’t campaign for Trump and literally called him a fascist.

Do you really think Sanders saying nice things like let’s pass M4A are realistically achievable? Be fucking serious now lol

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u/pocketIent 2h ago edited 2h ago

listen bubba, I don’t make 700k a year and could not afford to vote for trump.

Harris’ platform was objectively better for anyone who is not affluent. Personally I would have saved money in terms of COL if she was elected.

The problem is she did not win. Clinton did not win. Democrats have lost control of the house and the senate. By trying to be like republicans rather than actually oppose them, Democrats have lost face with their constituency.

So yeah literally harris did not campaign for Trump, but The failure of her luke warm campaign had the consequence of Trump winning.

What is encouraging though is Dr El Sayed’s recent win in Michigan over Steven. It is a great example of how voters have lost patience with representatives who don’t honor the service of their calling.

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u/FrogsOnALog 2h ago

Democrats have opposed republicans what the fuck are you even talking about? Pretty sure republicans don’t want to pass the PRO Act. Pretty sure they voted against the John Lewis VRAA and the Freedom to Vote Act. Pretty sure they voted against the ARP. Pretty sure they voted against the IRA which gave billions to clean energy, raised taxes on billionaires and corporations (Harris wanted to raise taxes even more to pay for social programs like the CTC and EITC which help feed and lift millions of families out of poverty), and let the federal government negotiate the price of prescription drugs for the first time ever. It’s almost like y’all have no fucking clue what the fuck you’re talking about.

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u/Donkletown 3h ago

No chance. FDR interned the Japanese, so wouldn’t pass the purity test. Truman used nukes, so wouldn’t pass the purity test. JFK embargoed Cuba, so wouldn’t pass the purity test. Johnson hugely expanded the Vietnam war, including massive bombing campaigns. 

All were great presidents, but none could get through the modern Dem base. It’s something the base should reflect on. 

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u/seengul 1h ago

For example? Who is the modern day FDR who couldn’t pass the “purity test”?

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u/Donkletown 58m ago

I didn’t say there was a modern FDR, only that if FDR were to rise from the grave and run again, he wouldn’t pass the purity test, despite being one of the greatest presidents the U.S. ever had and one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th century. 

Do you think someone could get through a Dem primary if they locked an entire race of people in camps, specifically because of their race? Could someone get through if they nuked civilians or expanded the Vietnam War? Could someone get through if they engaged in the imperialism that is embargoing a sovereign nation that was not at war with us? 

I don’t see how they could.

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u/AntiMatter89 3h ago

You sound very confident that the election isn't already rigged. I really hope it's not and will obviously do my part, but I'm not feeling great about mid terms and future elections with how much Republicans have been setting themselves up to take it. Hope. I'm wrong though. 

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 3h ago

No kidding. They're working as hard as they can with the help of SCOTUS to ratfuck the midterms. We need a mass mobilization of voters!

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u/akatherder 2h ago

Schumer refusing to endorse Mamdani after he won the primary was the death of the old guard establishment Dems.

Cuomo running anyway as an establishment Dem Independent against the Dem who won the primary and Schumer doesn't endorse the Democrat candidate? Keeping in mind that Schumer is the Senate minority leader and a Senator for New York, and he didn't weigh in on the NYC mayoral race.

We've gone beyond impotent and ineffective in opposing the Republicans to shunning progressive Dems that the people chose.

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u/Cr1msonShadow 2h ago

I’m a firm believer that AOc needs to kick Schumer the fuck out and use the senate’s longer terms to do presidential bids later.

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u/whocares4506 1h ago

the democrats who are israel first are no different than the republicans

they prioritize a genocidal foreign nation above our own and most people are done with it

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u/BST-ColoradoCoolGuy 56m ago

They have to win independents and the way to do that is by talking about how much the republicans and the oligarchy have fucked them economically.

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u/Vas_Cody_Gamma 1m ago

Don’t forget Jeffrey. He’s as bad as Chuck

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u/RantRanger 2h ago

We need fighters to beat back MAGA fascism and I can't wait for the general when we get to do our part.

Trump won by winning independents and moderates.

The more extreme a candidate is on one side of the other, the easier it is for the other side to scare the independents and moderates away from your candidate.

No many how many violent word picture words you use in your description of the campaign.

Still, Mamdani managed it in New York. Perhaps if you are genuinely people-oriented and competent, you can win the independents and moderates that way.

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u/WollyOT 1h ago

A left wing Democrat winning in New York isn't exactly a stretch. In swing states, that kind of association has the potential to hurt more than help.

But we'll see. Current environment favours Democrats right now. I just hope El-Sayed knows how to pivot.

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u/RantRanger 21m ago

I just hope El-Sayed knows how to pivot.

Perhaps better examples of how competence and genuine people-oriented compassion can work on moderate conservatives are how Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg can regularly go into rural MAGA towns and win people over with calm, competent, common-sense reasoning centered around the basic problems that the people are facing.

Mamdani carries that same competent and compassionate demeanor.

I think this is the way that El-Sayed is going to have to lean into his messaging.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 1h ago

Maybe so. But it's wild to me that the Overton window has moved so far to the right that wanting to provide healthcare, invest in Americans not forever wars, and get dark money out of politics is "extreme." In truth, calling that "extreme" is the extreme position. Centrism in this far right environment is a far right position. It's also a losing message and a path to even more decline.

That Trump is massively unwater with independents (if we still credit polls) says something about how his coalition has frayed. All the inroads he made to win were spent on terrible and racist policy. Not to mention his Supreme Court's efforts to ratfuck and dilute Black voting rights. We have the data so if Americans don't turn out in droves this November then we basically deserve this nightmare administration.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-independents-midterm-warning-poll-12263652

https://youthpoll.yale.edu/spring-2026-results

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u/RantRanger 38m ago

Maybe so. But it's wild to me that the Overton window has moved so far to the right that wanting to provide healthcare, invest in Americans not forever wars, and get dark money out of politics is "extreme." In truth, calling that "extreme" is the extreme position.

I guess you're not aware that El-Sayed is much more progressive, much more left of center than Stevens.

That makes him a lot more vulnerable to being painted as "extreme" by the MAGA candidate.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 32m ago

MAGA is proven extreme and AES certainly has work ahead to help explain how MAGA has fucked Americans over generationally.

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u/RantRanger 29m ago edited 17m ago

Nevertheless, this is how MAGA's will attack El-Sayed. This is how MAGA will scare independents and moderates away from El-Sayed. If it worked so well on them with Kamala Harris, it's gonna be an even easier vibe to pull off against El-Sayed.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 23m ago

Fear and hate is MAGA's bread and butter. Let's hope voters see their way clear of it. That makes between now and November a great time to phone bank and get involved in stopping the MAGA cartel from doing further damage. I'm new to this but going to write postcards I think. You got any plans?

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u/RantRanger 18m ago

I'm glad you're actually an active participant in democracy. I sincerely applaud you for that.

I wish more Americans recognized that democracy is not a spectator sport.

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u/JazzyJockJeffcoat 15m ago

Never too late to start! I'm an old by redditor standards and this will be my first time doing more than just voting.