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Rep. Haley Stevens faces off against Abdul El-Sayed in a high-stakes Michigan Senate primary fueled by record outside spending

Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed are competing in a Michigan Senate primary that has attracted a record-breaking amount of outside spending. The race features a moderate, pro-Israel Democrat, Stevens, against a progressive, populist outsider, El-Sayed. While Stevens has secured the backing of the Democratic establishment and significant funding from the United Democracy Project, El-Sayed has garnered support from left-wing figures like Bernie Sanders and the United Auto Workers. The contest highlights a growing tension within the Democratic Party between establishment favorites and insurgent candidates. Stevens has benefited from over $30 million in spending from the United Democracy Project, which works to elect pro-Israel candidates. In contrast, El-Sayed has positioned himself as a fighter who offers a message of economic populism, focusing on issues like universal health care and affordable housing. The outcome of the primary will serve as a measure of whether voters are willing to support a populist outsider who can successfully challenge the influence of the Democratic establishment and major donors like AIPAC.

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