{"id":6783,"date":"2026-08-05T19:30:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T19:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=6783"},"modified":"2026-08-05T19:30:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T19:30:07","slug":"top-democrats-set-aside-qualms-and-embrace-progressive-abdul-el-sayed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=6783","title":{"rendered":"Top Democrats set aside qualms and embrace progressive Abdul El-Sayed"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"cd443a63-82dc-4d97-a94a-a99e9a78209d\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man speaks into a microphone as a woman looks through a stack of papers nearby\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/5534177818cf9839e902438230294185b7465ead\/0_0_8192_5464\/master\/8192.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310.1513671875\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand during a news conference last year in Washington.<\/span> Photograph: Kayla Bartkowski\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"cd443a63-82dc-4d97-a94a-a99e9a78209d\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand during a news conference last year in Washington.<\/span> Photograph: Kayla Bartkowski\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Top Democrats set aside qualms and embrace progressive Abdul El-Sayed<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>Democrats \u2018united by a common purpose: putting a check on Trump\u2019, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/michigan-senate-primary-results-abdul-el-sayed\" data-link-name=\"in standfirst link\">Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate primary<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/midterm-primary-elections-what-we-learned\" data-link-name=\"in standfirst link\">What we learned from midterm primary elections<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Leading Democrats quickly papered over whatever qualms they had about progressive candidate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/michigan-senate-primary-results-abdul-el-sayed\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Abdul El-Sayed<\/a> after his win in the Michigan Senate primary was confirmed on Wednesday, instead welcoming the former public health official as their champion against the Republican nominee, Mike Rogers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"2bb8399c-033c-494f-ab10-5a928a32b399\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-1oq85qr\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-1 | 1\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1rx5ky9\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-uyoh2p\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/michigan-senate-primary-results-abdul-el-sayed\" class=\"dcr-f35c0u\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-vvxpdt\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6z6e7\">\n<div class=\"dcr-zh9rih\">Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate primary in defining race for Democrats<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-oj13vq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-ef9nua\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The state is now key to Democrats\u2019s hopes of retaking control of the chamber in November\u2019s midterm elections. Winning in Michigan would put them on the path to snarling Donald Trump\u2019s legislative agenda and blocking his judicial nominees for the final two years of his presidency, while defeat could undermine their prospects of gaining a majority in the chamber for years to come. Rogers lost a Senate race in Michigan two years ago by a slim margin to Democrat Elissa Slotkin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cDemocrats are united by a common purpose: putting a check on Donald Trump by defeating his Republican enablers and taking back the Senate. We look forward to working with Abdul and Democrats across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/michigan\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Michigan<\/a> to win this seat in November,\u201d the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senate campaign arm, said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Schumer was among a long list of Democratic establishment figures who had rallied behind Stevens in the weeks before the vote, as polls showed her trailing El-Sayed. He ultimately prevailed but by a far slimmer margin than data indicated, winning by 48.5% to Stevens\u2019s 47.5%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of passion and energy in these primaries, and that\u2019s a good thing. Democrats are ready to beat Republicans across the state,\u201d said Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who had endorsed Stevens.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe\u2019re all united by our shared goal of getting things done for the people in Michigan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The easiest path for Democrats to win back the Senate \u2013 which Republicans control with 53 lawmakers to their 47 \u2013 involves holding on to their seats in Michigan and Georgia while ousting Republicans from blue state Maine as well as three other red states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Democratic leaders believe they have the right candidates to pull that off in North Carolina, Ohio and Alaska, but it will nonetheless be a tall order, given that all three states backed Trump in 2024, and the latter two by double-digit margins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Michigan\u2019s Democratic senator Gary Peters, whose decision not to seek re-election had sparked the primary for his seat, backed Stevens as his replacement but quickly endorsed El-Sayed after his primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cBoth candidates ran strong campaigns focused on improving the lives of all Michiganders. But now it\u2019s time to come together as a party and rally around our nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, to make sure Mike Rogers never sees the floor of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/us-senate\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">US Senate<\/a>,\u201d Peters said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In a statement released following her loss, Stevens congratulated El-Sayed but did not outright endorse him, instead indicating she was ready to campaign for him as well as Democrats vying to win swing districts in Michigan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThis was a thorough and rigorous campaign that brought out the full span of views within the Democratic party \u2013 and that is why we have primaries. I am proud to have put up my hand to serve, and prouder to continue to work together to make sure this Senate seat remains blue, that we flip the United States Senate and continue the work for Michigan,\u201d Stevens said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Republicans meanwhile pounced on El-Sayed\u2019s views to paint him as too far left for voters in Michigan, a state that backed Trump in 2016 and again in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThe choice this November is simple: common sense or complete insanity,\u201d Rogers said. The former congressman blamed Democrats \u2013 who have held both of Michigan\u2019s Senate seats since 2001 \u2013 for job losses in manufacturing, while saying El-Sayed \u201cdoesn\u2019t represent a vision for the future. He\u2019s leading a movement grounded in ideological fanaticism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The question of aid to Israel animated the primary, with Stevens arguing Democrats should continue backing the US\u2019s top ally in the Middle East and El-Sayed calling for an end to military support in response to its actions in Gaza and the West Bank.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The United Democracy Project, a Super Pac connected to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spent more than $30m in the race to support Stevens and oppose El-Sayed, to no avail, and he now joins insurgents in Denver, New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia in having wooed Democratic voters in part by vowing to stand up for Palestinian rights.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cAbdul\u2019s victory is a win for everyone who supports equality, justice, and a thriving future for all,\u201d said the IfNotNow Movement, a Jewish organization opposed to Israel\u2019s policy towards Palestinians.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe urge those who see Abdul\u2019s support for Palestinian human rights and blocking weapons to Israel as a threat to our community to reconsider. It is incredibly dangerous to conflate Jewish safety with support for Aipac or Israel\u2019s military.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/democrats\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Democrats<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-senate\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US Senate<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-midterm-elections-2026\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US midterm elections 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/michigan\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Michigan<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Top%20Democrats%20set%20aside%20qualms%20and%20embrace%20progressive%20Abdul%20El-Sayed&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/top-democrats-embrace-abdul-el-sayed?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Faug%2F05%2Ftop-democrats-embrace-abdul-el-sayed&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/top-democrats-embrace-abdul-el-sayed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1kq7f60\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand during a news conference last year in Washington.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":6785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6783"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6786,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6783\/revisions\/6786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}