Michigan Democrats hoping to avoid a bruising primary in a must-win U.S. Senate race instead found themselves with a fiery and at times combative debate Thursday on Mackinac Island, as progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed repeatedly went on offense against his rivals.
The clash at Michigan's annual bipartisan policy conference underscored a broader fight inside the Democratic Party as it tries to recover from its 2024 losses and chart a path forward in a premier battleground state. Voters in Michigan's Aug. 4 primary will choose among three candidates offering different visions for the party's future: Rep. Haley Stevens, State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, and El-Sayed, a former public health official.
The seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is one the party must hold if it hopes to reclaim the Senate majority in this fall's midterm elections.
What the Right Is Saying
Former Rep. Mike Rogers will be the Republican nominee in the general election. He lost to then-U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin in 2024 by fewer than 20,000 votes in a state that President Donald Trump carried on his way to victory.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, Rogers acknowledged difficulties from his last campaign, saying the financial disadvantage after a tough primary "made it really difficult" to win the general election. But he said this year is different because voters want change.
"This is a change election," Rogers said. "People want to talk about Washington. This is about Michigan."
Rogers enters the general election with advantages, including an uncontested Republican primary. He acknowledged it may prove difficult to localize a race shaped by national issues such as tariffs and gas prices, both of which are hitting Michigan hard.
On the Democratic side, neither Peters nor Slotkin said they planned to endorse in the primary. Peters emphasized that the eventual nominee would need to bring the party together.
"What are the types of candidates that win in purple states? That should be what we're looking for," Peters told the Associated Press. "Who can bring people together and build the kind of broad coalition to win in a purple state?"
Slotkin described the primary as becoming more contentious than she had hoped, saying: "It is messy. Messier than I would have liked."
What the Left Is Saying
El-Sayed, the most progressive candidate in the race, used the debate to push his argument that Democrats need fundamental change. He repeatedly attacked his rivals over campaign donations, arguing he was the only candidate not accepting corporate money.
"Democrats across our country and across Michigan are crying out for a new Democratic Party. We need a reckoning," El-Sayed said during the debate, echoing language used earlier by McMorrow.
El-Sayed challenged the other candidates directly on their fundraising: "I'll tell you this, the revolution is definitely not coming if we're not fighting for it." He then asked the audience to consider who among the candidates had never taken money from Blue Cross Blue Shield, raising his own hand while the others did not.
Stevens, a fourth-term congresswoman representing a district just outside Detroit, described herself as a "staunchly pro-Israel Democrat" and has previously received support from AIPAC. She largely focused on her congressional record rather than engaging with El-Sayed's attacks.
"The people of Michigan deserve a functional Congress," Stevens said. "I write bills, I pass bills on behalf of the people of Michigan."
McMorrow took a middle position between the two other candidates, emphasizing unity while still engaging in sharp exchanges. After El-Sayed said he would choose "having a message" over donors, McMorrow responded that "you actually need to know how to deliver" on that message.
All three candidates aligned on one issue: supporting elimination of the filibuster, the Senate rule requiring 60 votes to advance most legislation.
What the Numbers Show
Outside spending in the race is expected to climb into nine figures.
The Republicans' U.S. Senate campaign organization has reserved $45 million in television advertising.
Democrats have countered with $20 million in reserved ad time.
A newly formed outside group, Center for Democratic Priorities Inc., recently reserved over $5 million in television advertising backing Stevens. AIPAC has denied affiliation with the group.
Rogers lost to Slotkin by fewer than 20,000 votes out of roughly 2.8 million cast in the 2024 Senate race.
The three Democratic candidates are competing in a state Trump carried twice but which remains competitive in federal elections.
The Bottom Line
This primary will determine who faces Rogers in November in a race that could determine control of the Senate. Democrats currently hold a narrow majority, making Peters' open seat one of the most consequential races of the 2026 cycle.
The debate made clear the Democratic Party's internal divisions over direction, with El-Sayed pushing for fundamental change while Stevens emphasized her track record of getting things done and McMorrow seeking a middle path. All three must convince Michigan voters they can defeat Rogers in November.
What happens next: Early voting begins in late July. The winner will need to unify the party quickly against a well-funded Republican opponent who enters the general election without having spent resources on a primary fight.