Haley Stevens Seeks Aug. 4 Senate Primary Win With $28 Million Pro-Israel Backing
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16
Haley Stevens Seeks Aug. 4 Senate Primary Win With $28 Million Pro-Israel Backing
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16
Summary
Aug. 4 is the test date for Haley Stevens, who is running in Michigan’s key Democratic Senate primary while openly backing Israel and unconditional U.S. military aid.
More than $28 million in advertising from the leading pro-Israel super PAC has fueled that bid, with another $20 million coming from four other super PACs with undisclosed donors.
Abdul El-Sayed, her progressive rival, has made Stevens’s Israel stance and super PAC support central targets as he courts Democratic voters skeptical of Israel and establishment politics.
The race has become a measure of whether a mainstream Democrat can still win a major primary on a pro-Israel platform after several such candidates lost this year to anti-war progressives.
Can grassroots activism overcome nearly $50 million in outside spending in Michigan's high-stakes primary?
Michigan’s 2026 Democratic Senate Primary: Progressive vs. Moderate Showdown, AIPAC Spending, and the Battle for Party Identity
Overview
The Michigan Democratic Senate primary on August 4, 2026, is a high-stakes contest that has become a direct battle between U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed after State Sen. Mallory McMorrow withdrew. This race highlights a sharp divide between the party’s moderate establishment and its progressive wing. Recent polling shows Stevens with an edge over El-Sayed, and the winner will face Republican Mike Rogers in November. The outcome of this primary will not only decide the Democratic nominee but also signal the direction of the party in a key battleground state.