Progressive Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Democratic Senate Primary, Raising Israel Policy Concerns

Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan and will face Republican Mike Rogers in the November midterm elections, NBC reported Wednesday. El-Sayed, a former senior public health official in the U.S., is widely regarded as anti-Israel. He defeated four-term Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a centrist Democrat with establishment and AIPAC support. This race highlights a broader struggle within the Democratic Party between its moderate, pro-Israel wing and the progressive faction, which often expresses anti-Israel views. If El-Sayed wins the Senate seat from Michigan, a key battleground state, it could influence U.S. Senate policy toward Israel.

In New York’s recent Democratic primaries, progressive Brad Lander defeated incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman. Lander, supported by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is a vocal critic of Israeli government policies and AIPAC, contrasting with Goldman’s pro-Israel stance. Mamdani-backed candidates Claire Waldoz and Darlisa Avila Schiller also won their primaries, marking a significant victory for the progressive wing. The midterm elections, held in November, are crucial for determining the balance of power in Congress during the president’s term. The Lander-Goldman contest, both Jewish candidates, drew national attention largely due to their opposing views on Israel and pro-Israel lobbying. Goldman was recently ejected from a Brooklyn café for alleged support of "genocide," an incident condemned by many, including Lander.