NBC News projects that Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary for Michigan's Senate seat after a tight race, N12 reports.
NBC News projects that Abdul El-Sayed has won the Democratic primary for Michigan's Senate seat, as of Wednesday morning. The projection, reported by N12, comes after a tight race in which El-Sayed, a harsh critic of Israel who has called it an apartheid state, led with 85% of votes counted—a lead The Zioneer reported at 08:55 Jerusalem earlier today.
The race unfolded over two days. On Monday, pre-election analysis by Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom) highlighted El-Sayed's lead in polls and warned that his victory would signal a sharp leftward shift in the Democratic Party. Polls closed Monday evening, and as votes were counted, the race was initially very tight between El-Sayed and pro-Israel incumbent Haley Stevens, with 45% of votes counted showing a close contest, as The Zioneer reported at 21:30 Jerusalem. By later Monday, with 85% of votes tallied, El-Sayed had taken a clear lead, a development The Zioneer updated at 08:55 Wednesday.
Attributed background: El-Sayed, a progressive Muslim candidate, has been a vocal critic of Israel, accusing it of apartheid and genocide. His likely victory would make him the first Muslim U.S. senator, and as The Zioneer reported on Monday, some senior Democrats have announced they would leave the party if El-Sayed wins, reflecting a potential shift in the party's stance on Israel.
What remains open: The general election, where El-Sayed will face the Republican nominee. The full implications for U.S.-Israel relations are yet to be determined.
7 developments
- DevelopingAbdul El-Sayed refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, compares it to Hamas
- DevelopingRace tightens for anti-Israeli candidate Abdul A-Sayed after polls predicted easy win
- StrongJewish progressive Brad Lander defeats pro-Israel Rep. Dan Goldman in New York primary
- DevelopingDaraliza Abilla Chevalier wins New York Democratic primary for 13th district, refuses to recognize Israel
Source and signal
- Open-source intake