Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Primary in Major Defeat for AIPAC, Establishment Democrats

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Primary in Major Defeat for AIPAC, Establishment Democrats Democracy Now Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed has been declared the winner of Michigan’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary, narrowly beating out Congressmember Haley Stevens, according to the Associated Press and other news agencies. AIPAC and its affiliated groups spent as much as $46 million to help Stevens in what has become the most expensive Democratic Senate primary contest in U.S. history. El-Sayed will face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in November to fill the seat now held by Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is retiring. If El-Sayed wins the general election, he would become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history. His key supporters included Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the United Auto Workers. “Dr. Abdul El-Sayed worked unbelievably hard in this race,” says John Nichols, executive editor of The Nation, pointing out that El-Sayed campaigned in rural counties across Michigan. “It was literally about physically going to the people early, and then again and again and again, and talking to them about issues.” We also speak with Andy Levin, a former Democratic congressmember from Michigan who lost to Stevens in 2022 after AIPAC spent $4.3 million on her campaign. El-Sayed’s rise represents “a movement of Americans who are saying, ‘Enough of politics as usual,’” says Levin. “’We’re done with the parties as they are. We need some way more active effort for us to be able to have living wages and healthcare and education and childcare and retirement.’” Transcript This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. ANJALI KAMAT: Voters went to the polls in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington state on Tuesday. In the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is claiming victory over Congresswoman Haley Stevens. NBC has called the race, but other outlets say the race is still too close to call. Stevens vastly outspent El-Sayed. AIPAC and its affiliated groups spent, by some counts, as much as $46 million to help Stevens in what was the most expensive Democratic U.S. Senate primary contest in U.S. history. The winner of the race will face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in November to fill the seat now held by Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is retiring. If Dr. Abdul El-Sayed wins in November, he would become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history. His key supporters included Senator Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the United Auto Workers. Dr. El-Sayed spoke to supporters last night. DR. ABDUL EL-SAYED: Across that movement that we built, there was an inspiration in the idea that we could take our government back, government of the people, by the people and for the people, instead of government of the corporations, by the special interests and for the billionaires. And because you had the audacity to believe in that, you know that the billionaires, the corporations and the special interests, they weren’t going to give up lightly. We all knew they were going to spend their money. We didn’t know they were going to spend $70 million of their money. We didn’t know that they were going to outspend us $11 to $1. And yet we’re still standing. AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Abdul El-Sayed currently holds a 21,000-vote lead over Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary. Early this morning, Dr. El-Sayed wrote online, “Money out of politics. Money in your pocket. Medicare for All. Michigan… We won. I am so proud to be your Democratic nominee for US Senate. Let’s win in November,” he said. Dr. El-Sayed is the former executive director of the Detroit Health Department, d