<p>Michigan progressives woke up Wednesday after a banner night: Abdul El-Sayed <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2026/08/05/michigan-senate-primary-el-sayed-narrow-lead-stevens" target="_blank">leads</a> the uncalled Democratic Senate primary, Will Lawrence <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/05/michigan-7th-district-will-lawrence-maasdam-brink" target="_blank">won</a> a battleground House nomination, and Donavan McKinney <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/22/shri-thanedar-dsa-donavan-mckinney-detroit-mi-13" target="_blank">threatens</a> to oust Rep. Shri Thanedar.</p><ul><li>Of the three Democratic primaries, only Lawrence's victory has been called.</li></ul><p><strong>Why it matters: </strong>A sweep would signal the left's growing strength in a key swing state.</p><hr><ul><li>The state's Democratic Socialists of America chapters, the Working Families Party and the United Auto Workers all flexed their muscles Tuesday up and down the ballot.</li></ul><p><strong>State of play: </strong>El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, clung to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/04/us/elections/results-michigan-us-senate-primary.html" target="_blank">narrow lead</a> over four-term Rep. Haley <a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-senate-democrats-stevens-elsayed-b493c8c5d3897b4f82418f9df1f8b078" target="_blank">Stevens</a> — 48.5%–47.5% with <a href="https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/michigan-primary-results-us-senate/#Dem" target="_blank">96% of the vote</a> counted. The winner will face Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's open Senate seat, a must-win for Democrats hoping to gain Senate control.</p><ul><li>Lawrence, a Sunrise Movement co-founder, upset Bridget Brink, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and Matt Maasdam, a former Navy SEAL, winning the 7th district nomination by 15 points. Lawrence will try to flip the swing seat held by GOP Rep. Tom Barrett.</li><li>State Rep. McKinney, a Democratic Socialists of America member backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), is up this morning 51.6%–48.4% against Thanedar in a solidly blue seat. A McKinney victory would make Thanedar the latest House Democrat toppled by the left.</li></ul><p><strong>The latest: </strong>Both El-Sayed and Stevens told supporters the vote count could continue well into Wednesday.</p><ul><li>While NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/abdul-el-sayed-wins-michigans-democratic-senate-primary-notching-midwe-rcna589750" target="_blank">called the race</a> for El-Sayed, AP and CNN held off, even as the number of remaining ballots has dwindled.</li></ul><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>The bitter and expensive campaign became the most notable proxy battle between the Democratic Party's establishment and progressive wings.</p><ul><li>El-Sayed <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/abdul-el-sayeds-argument-for-america-and-against-his-own-party" target="_blank">has said</a> he's not a democratic socialist, but many DSA members have backed him.</li></ul><p><strong>Zoom in: </strong>The left saw even more victories downballot, with a DSA member <a href="https://x.com/DemSocialists/status/2084852648726127058" target="_blank">ousting</a> an incumbent state representative, a cofounder of the Uncommitted Movement <a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-08-04/michigan-state-senate-2-democratic-primary" target="_blank">nominated</a> in a state senate race and a Working Families Party-endorsed candidate <a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-08-04/michigan-state-house-11-democratic-primary" target="_blank">set to win</a> an open state house seat.</p><ul><li>A socialist was also <a href="https://www.wemu.org/wemu-news/2026-08-05/yousef-rabhi-declares-victory-in-ann-arbor-mayoral-race" target="_blank">named</a> the Democratic nominee in Ann Arbor's mayoral race and is unopposed in November.</li></ul>