Kathmandu— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has emerged victorious in Michigan’s contentious Democratic Senate primary, narrowly defeating Congressmember Haley Stevens despite massive spending by pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. The win sets the stage for El-Sayed to potentially become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history if he defeats Republican Mike Rogers in November.

Campaign Strategy and Support

El-Sayed’s campaign strategy focused on grassroots organizing and extensive outreach across Michigan, particularly in rural areas. John Nichols, executive editor of The Nation, emphasized the importance of El-Sayed's relentless effort to connect with voters directly. 'It was literally about physically going to the people early, and then again and again and again,' Nichols said, highlighting how this approach helped build a broad base of support.

El-Sayed’s key supporters included Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the United Auto Workers union. These endorsements underscored El-Sayed's alignment with progressive values and his commitment to issues such as living wages, healthcare, education, childcare, and retirement security.

Impact of AIPAC Spending

AIPAC and its affiliated groups spent a staggering $46 million in support of Stevens, making this the most expensive Democratic Senate primary contest in U.S. history. Despite this financial advantage, El-Sayed managed to secure victory through his grassroots efforts and strong connections with progressive voters.

Andy Levin, a former Democratic congressmember from Michigan who lost to Stevens in 2022 after AIPAC spent $4.3 million on her campaign, noted the significance of El-Sayed’s win. 'This represents a movement of Americans who are saying, “Enough of politics as usual,”' Levin said. 'We need some way more active effort for us to be able to have living wages and healthcare and education and childcare and retirement.'

(With inputs from Democracy Now)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.