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· collected 2026-08-04 · by Caroline Linton, Caitlin Yilek, Kaia Hubbard
Voters are going to the polls in five states, including Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington, where various primaries are being held. The key races to watch include the Democratic primary for a Senate seat in Michigan, where progressive Abdul El-Sayed is challenging moderate Brenda Stevens. In the Michigan Senate primary, Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are backing El-Sayed, while Governor Gretchen Whitmer supports Stevens. No Republican candidates are running against Stevens in the general election, as she will run unopposed in the primary.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Democrats are locked in a heated primary battle in Michigan's Senate election, with Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, facing off against Haley Stevens, a more moderate candidate supported by establishment Democrats like Gretchen Whitmer. The winner will go on to face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in the general election.
The Michigan Senate primary has become a high-stakes battle within the Democratic Party, with some seeing it as a test of whether progressive candidates can replicate their success in other parts of the country. El-Sayed's campaign has focused on issues like climate change and racial justice, while Stevens has emphasized her experience as a moderate Democrat.
The primary election is being held on Tuesday, with voters in Michigan and four other states - Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington - heading to the polls to choose their candidates for November's elections. The outcome of the Senate primary could have significant implications for the balance of power in Congress, with Democrats needing to flip four Senate seats to regain control.
Abdul El-Sayed has been gaining support from Arab American voters, who are increasingly centering Palestine in their electoral choices. El-Sayed's campaign has also received endorsements from groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Arab American Institute. However, he is facing opposition from pro-Israel groups like AIPAC, which has spent millions of dollars to defeat him.
The Michigan Senate primary has become a national story, with many seeing it as a test of whether progressive candidates can win in traditionally moderate districts. The outcome will have significant implications for the balance of power in Congress and the Democratic Party's future direction.
Written for “Michigan Democratic Primary Results” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 13 other(s) covering the same event.
Voters are going to the polls in five states, including Michigan, where Democrats are watching the expensive and contentious Senate primary contest between populist
and moderate .They're
asserted
Democrats → go → populist
running for retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters' seat, which is among a handful that Democrats must hold in order to have any chance of winning control of the Senate.
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Democrats → run → Senate
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is backing Stevens, while Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are campaigning for El-Sayed.
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Sanders → back → Sayed
Former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, who lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin by less than a point in 2024, is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
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who → lose → primary
After the Virginia Supreme Court struck down Democrats' voter-approved plan to redraw the congressional districts to net up to four more districts, Virginians will be using the maps drafted by a nonpartisan commission in 2021.
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Virginians → strike → 2021
Democrats are still targeting several districts in their fight for control of the House.
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Democrats → target → House
In Missouri, ongoing redistricting legal battles may yet affect congressional races, where longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district has been redrawn to favor the GOP and five Republicans are vying for the chance to take him on in November.
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Republicans → affect → November
In the only reliably Democratic district in the state, the 1st, Democratic Rep. Wesley Bell is being challenged by former Rep. Cori Bush, whom he defeated two years ago.
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he → challenge → whom
In Kansas, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's tenure will be ended by term limits, opening up the governor's race in the reliably GOP state.
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tenure → end → state
There are also primaries in Washington, where the top-two vote getters, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.
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getters → be → election
Four Democrats and three Republicans are vying to take on two-term Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who is a frontrunner to make the ballot in the 3rd District this fall.
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who → vie → District
And in the Seattle area, longtime Rep. Adam Smith is being challenged by former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, a socialist, along with several others.
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Smith → challenge → others
Here are the major races to watch today:
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races → watch → ?
Michigan Senate race
Progressives and moderate party leaders have been clashing for months over who's best positioned in the race, and who is more broadly representative of Michigan's voters.
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who → clash → voters
Stevens, 43, was recruited by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has represented Michigan in the House since 2019 and has the support of national Democrats.
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Stevens → recruit → Democrats
El-Sayed, a 41-year-old former health official, has picked up the backing of prominent progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders.
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Sayed → pick → Cortez
El-Sayed spoke with CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe on the eve of the primary and suggested the Democratic Party has been losing sight of what Americans really need.
"Sometimes, when the Democratic Party talks about a big tent, we push everybody into the corner and then go talk and pander to the corner," he told O'Keefe.
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he → speak → O'Keefe
"I'm just trying to bring everybody to the tent pole in the middle to talk about what we really need.
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we → try → what
We need good housing.
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We → need → housing
We need good schools.
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We → need → schools
We need healthcare."
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We → need → healthcare
Stevens, who also talked with O'Keefe, accused El-Sayed of using the Senate race as stepping stone to the presidency.
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who → talk → presidency
"This is six years of hard, unglamorous work that I'm signing up for.
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I → sign → that
That's what I want to be," Stevens said.
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Stevens → want → what
"My opponent, he's already got his website for president."
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he → get → president
El-Sayed, has run on progressive policies like Medicare for All, and he's been an outspoken critic of Israel's government and the war in Gaza.
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he → run → Gaza
While Stevens is a proponent of a two-state solution, she's received an
from a pro-Israel groups, which El-Sayed seized on during their debate earlier this month.
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Sayed → receive → debate
But Stevens has emphasized her priorities in The Great Lakes State, including affordability issues, health care and housing.
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Stevens → emphasize → issues
A third high-profile candidate, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, dropped out earlier this month without offering a reason for her departure from the race.
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candidate → drop → race
Whitmer is also facing term limits, setting up an open contest.
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Whitmer → face → contest
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson faces Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary, with Benson holding a 60-point lead, according to a July poll from The Detroit News and WDIV-TV.
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Benson → face → News
On the Republican side, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox dropped out of the race in July, citing Mr. Trump's endorsement of Rep. John James in the race.
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Cox → drop → race
Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt suspended his campaign a month earlier for the same reason.
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Nesbitt → suspend → reason
Both candidates then backed James.
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candidates → back → James
James still has one opponent, businessman Perry Johnson.
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James → have → opponent
Polls show James with a significant lead.
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Polls → show → lead
With Stevens running for Senate, the race for her suburban Detroit district is wide open.
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race → run → district
Although Stevens flipped the Republican seat in 2018, she won the seat by nearly 20 points in 2024 and the district is considered a solidly Democratic seat.
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district → flip → 2024
Four Democrats are competing on Tuesday, with Whitmer backing state Sen. Jeremy Moss.
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Whitmer → compete → Moss
Troy Mayor Ethan Baker is running unopposed for the Republican nomination.
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Baker → run → nomination
…and 39 more, not listed.
