The Associated Press on Wednesday projected that Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.
El-Sayed defeated U.S. Representative Haley Stevens in a narrow race. The contest stayed tight through Tuesday night. Officials declared a winner only on Wednesday morning.
El-Sayed will now face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in the November general election. The seat belongs to retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
Vote tallies showed El-Sayed leading by less than one percentage point. He held an edge of about 15,000 votes out of more than 1.5 million ballots counted. Nearly all precincts reported results by the time of the projection.
Stevens called El-Sayed on Wednesday to concede. She then released a statement. “I want to congratulate Abdul El-Sayed on winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. He is a doctor, a community health official, a Rhodes Scholar, and a dedicated Michigander. I am proud to offer my support as he takes on Mike Rogers in the general election,” Stevens said.
El-Sayed spoke to supporters at a primary night event in Detroit before the race was called. He told the crowd that the next day they would begin to mend fences.
Later he quoted boxer Muhammad Ali. “In the words of Muhammad Ali, ‘We shook up the world,’” El-Sayed said.
The race drew national attention as a test between progressive and establishment forces within the Democratic Party. El-Sayed campaigned on policies that included Medicare for All and limits on corporate influence in politics.
