Three Michigan races put the progressive movement's reach on display
· Axios
Michigan progressives woke up Wednesday after a banner night: Abdul El-Sayed leads the uncalled Democratic Senate primary, Will Lawrence won a battleground House nomination, and Donavan McKinney threatens to oust Rep. Shri Thanedar.
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- Of the three Democratic primaries, only Lawrence's victory has been called.
Why it matters: A sweep would signal the left's growing strength in a key swing state.
- 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.
State of play: El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, clung to a narrow lead over four-term Rep. Haley Stevens — 48.5%–47.5% with 96% of the vote counted. The winner will face Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's open Senate seat, a must-win for Democrats hoping to gain Senate control.
- 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.
- 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.
The latest: Both El-Sayed and Stevens told supporters the vote count could continue well into Wednesday.
- While NBC called the race for El-Sayed, AP and CNN held off, even as the number of remaining ballots has dwindled.
The big picture: The bitter and expensive campaign became the most notable proxy battle between the Democratic Party's establishment and progressive wings.
- El-Sayed has said he's not a democratic socialist, but many DSA members have backed him.
Zoom in: The left saw even more victories downballot, with a DSA member ousting an incumbent state representative, a cofounder of the Uncommitted Movement nominated in a state senate race and a Working Families Party-endorsed candidate set to win an open state house seat.
- A socialist was also named the Democratic nominee in Ann Arbor's mayoral race and is unopposed in November.