Democrats can learn from this Michigan Senate primary election. They can learn that bold policy works, and that they need to focus less on their corporate donors and more on the people they serve.
Can Democrats Flip the Senate? Watch Michigan.
Abdul El-Sayed’s surprise Democratic primary win is yet another signal that the party may be shifting left.
Michigan voters delivered a message directly to the Democratic National Committee’s doorstep. Whether the establishment wing of the party accepts it is yet to be seen.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive running primarily on “Medicare for All” and getting dark money out of politics, was declared the winner of the Michigan democratic primary on Aug. 5 after a long night of tallying the votes.
The Democratic nominee beat out moderate U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and the $60 million spent on her campaign by less than 1 percentage point, but he won nonetheless.
The battle for the future of the Democrats is still playing out, but the party must unify behind its new candidate, regardless of its issues with him. The November election is going to be an uphill battle – Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers previously said he hoped El-Sayed won the primary because it would make for an easier general election. If Democrats can coalesce their power, they may be surprised with a win.
There is no time for hand-wringing over El-Sayed’s “electability” or the parts of his campaign that alarmed the establishment. “Vote blue no matter who” should not just be advice to progressives when their candidates lose. It should apply to everyone in the party.
Democrats need a boost of energy – and this might just be it
Since the botched 2016 Democratic campaign that led to the rise of President Donald Trump, progressives and those further to the left have tried to tell the establishment wing of the Democratic Party that its strategy wasn’t working.
The Democrats, according to progressives like myself, decided long ago that appealing to corporate interests was a better strategy than listening to what the people on the ground were saying. This method of campaigning has not pulled moderate voters from the Republican Party, nor has it energized the Democratic base to go out and vote. It hasn’t even resulted in an influx of cash for the party, given that the DNC is about $2 million in debt.
Now, the establishment wing of the party is beginning to see pushback from the left. It started with the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in 2025 and continued throughout recent primary elections. If I were Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, I would be paying attention and adjusting my strategy.
El-Sayed’s messaging isn’t solely about abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ending military aid to Israel, even though these are elements of his campaign. With a focus on Medicare for all, he can win over more moderate members of the party.
At the very least, he can ensure that the furthest left members of the party get out and vote. Who knows? Maybe his focus on small-dollar donations could solve the DNC’s fundraising problem, or at least show Democratic leaders that caring about what their constituents want will endear said constituents to them.
Democrats, it’s time to fight back. Or don’t and lose again.
Look, Democrats. I get that you’re basically allergic to winning at this point. You can either throw the party’s full support behind El-Sayed and give yourselves a fighting chance at winning the Senate in November, or you can let Republicans control the narrative the way they have in every election cycle for the past decade.
If you choose the former, you might actually win.
It is easy for moderates to succumb to fear of the unknown, the perceived “radicalism” of wanting health care for every American and the desire to dismantle ICE. This is exactly what Republicans want to see. It’s why the GOP has been accusing any and all Democratic candidates of being “radical.”
Not only is it a fear tactic to invigorate the Republican base, but it’s also a tactic to keep Democrats at home.
We’re already seeing the repercussions of this in Michigan. Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten has said that she would not commit to supporting El-Sayed in the fall because of his connection to leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. I hope she understands that she is doing her party a disservice in the process of taking a perceived moral high ground.
Whether the establishment wing of the party likes it or not, this race will determine the future of the Senate. They can either get behind El-Sayed and work toward a common goal – defeating Rogers – or get left behind and let Republicans keep doing what they’re doing, in the name of a moral victory.
Republicans have the motivation to win Michigan’s Senate seat. Rogers likely still sees himself as the underdog, considering that the GOP hasn’t held a U.S. Senate seat in the state in three decades. But they are trying to run against progressive policies, instead of standing for anything.
Democrats can learn from Michigan. They can learn that bold policy works, and that they need to focus less on their corporate donors and more on the people they serve. They can put all of their power behind El-Sayed and work together toward a victory. If they’re willing to learn these lessons, they may find that there is a November blue wave after all.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on Bluesky: @sarapequeno.bsky.social