Michigan: Anti-Israel candidate Abdul El-Sayed win the Senate Democratic primary
Trump took to TruthSocial after the announcement: "Al-Sayed, a looser communist who hates Jews and Israel, is the expected winner in his race. Now, the Democrats' crazy policies will only get worse."
Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic primary for the US Senate in Michigan on Tuesday, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens by fewer than 15,000 votes after a closely contested race and a lengthy vote count.
With nearly all ballots counted, El-Sayed secured 48.48% of the vote to Stevens' 47.51%, earning the Democratic nomination for November's general election.
The race was one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate primaries in the country, with tens of millions of dollars spent by candidates and outside groups. The contest highlighted deep divisions within the Democratic Party over US policy toward Israel and the war in Gaza.
Throughout the campaign, El-Sayed was a vocal critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, describing it as "genocide," calling for an immediate halt to U.S. military aid to Israel, and criticizing the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, which backed efforts to defeat his candidacy. El-Sayed said the organization "should burn its money" rather than spend heavily on the race.
The campaign also featured increasingly personal attacks. El-Sayed described Stevens as "the least qualified candidate" in the race and referred to Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, a staunch supporter of Israel, as an "ogre" in campaign rhetoric.
El-Sayed's victory follows other recent political gains by progressive candidates critical of Israel in Michigan. In Ann Arbor, mayoral candidate Yousef Rabhi won his primary after previously drawing criticism over social media posts expressing support for Hamas. Meanwhile, Rep. Rashida Tlaib has continued to consolidate her influence within Michigan's progressive Democratic movement and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
President Donald Trump reacted to El-Sayed's primary victory on social media, portraying the result as beneficial for Republicans.
"Great news for the Republican Party," Trump wrote. "Al-Sayed, a looser communist who hates Jews and Israel, is the expected winner in his race... Now, the Democrats' crazy policies will only get worse."
Michigan is expected to remain one of the key battleground states in the November elections, with the Senate contest likely to draw national attention as Democrats seek to retain the seat.