Abdul El-Sayed has won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Michigan, defeating Representative Haley Stevens in a closely watched primary that exposed divisions within the Democratic Party, according to CNN.
Speaking to CNN on Wednesday as votes were still being counted, El-Sayed urged Democrats to unite ahead of the general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers.
“We all understand the responsibility of beating Mike Rogers and Donald Trump, and the things that unite us are so much bigger than the things that divide us. And I think we need to start tapping into those things,” El-Sayed told CNN.
He also reached out to Stevens’ supporters, saying: “This is a big tent. I hope folks of all stripes, whichever way you might have voted in 2024, whichever way you might have voted in this primary, that you’ll join us to do this work.”
CNN later projected El-Sayed as the winner, handing progressive Democrats a significant victory in a battleground state that could play a key role in the party’s effort to regain control of the Senate.
The former Wayne County public health official defeated Stevens after a contentious campaign marked by disagreements over policy, ideology and campaign strategy.
The November contest against Rogers is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races in the country.
