Michigan Senate Candidates El-sayed and Stevens Spar in Debate
WHO:
CNN - Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed are the two remaining Democratic candidates in Michigan's Senate primary.
CNN - Mike Rogers is the Republican candidate in the Senate race.
CNN - Mallory McMorrow is the state senator who suspended her campaign.
WHAT:
CNN - The debate highlighted the differences in style and vision between the candidates, with El-Sayed framing himself as a change agent and Stevens emphasizing her reliability and experience.
CNN - El-Sayed stated, “If you want your politics dictated to you by AIPAC or Chuck Schumer, then I’m not your guy.”
CNN - Stevens countered El-Sayed's claims by asserting, “Well, Abdul, I would say no one is afraid of you.”
CNN - El-Sayed accused Stevens of allowing "$40 million of outside spending" from AIPAC to influence the race.
CNN - El-Sayed declared, “I’m running to do three things: get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, pass Medicare for all,” echoing a campaign summary used by progressive candidates.
CNN - Stevens claimed, “I flipped a congressional seat that was long held by a Republican – blue in 2018, and I held it when Donald Trump was on the ballot.”
CNN - Stevens described herself as a “workhorse” on Capitol Hill.
CNN - El-Sayed claimed he represents “a threat to politics as usual.”
CNN - The primary is scheduled for August 4.
CNN - Democrats need a net gain of four seats in the midterm elections to win a Senate majority.
CNN - El-Sayed criticized Stevens for receiving tens of millions in campaign support from AIPAC’s super PAC.
CNN - El-Sayed stated that AIPAC has spent “tens of millions of dollars on attack ads” against him.
CNN - Stevens emphasized her belief in a two-state solution regarding Israel and Palestine.
CNN - El-Sayed declared, “I’m running to do three things: get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, pass Medicare for all.”
CNN - Stevens claimed, “I flipped a congressional seat that was long held by a Republican – blue in 2018, and I held it when Donald Trump was on the ballot.”
WHERE:
CNN - The debate took place in Michigan.
WHY:
CNN - The debate highlighted differences in style and vision for the role candidates seek to play in the Democratic Party.
CNN - El-Sayed argued that outside spending is corrupting politics and preventing real solutions.
HOW:
CNN - The candidates engaged in a one-hour debate, discussing campaign funding, artificial intelligence regulation, and free trade pacts.
CNN - El-Sayed framed his campaign as aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, while Stevens positioned herself as a reliable and experienced candidate.
(UPDATED July 8, 2026 09:44 UTC)
In a recent debate, the candidates showcased their contrasting styles and visions, with El-Sayed positioning himself as a change agent while Stevens highlighted her reliability and experience. El-Sayed accused Stevens of being influenced by significant outside spending from AIPAC, to which she responded by asserting that no one is afraid of him. He emphasized his campaign goals of getting money out of politics, putting money in people's pockets, and passing Medicare for all, while Stevens pointed to her success in flipping a Republican-held congressional seat in 2018 as evidence of her effectiveness.
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(UPDATED July 8, 2026 02:58 UTC)
In Michigan's Senate primary, Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed are the two remaining Democratic candidates, while Mike Rogers is the Republican contender following the suspension of Mallory McMorrow's campaign. During a recent debate, Stevens described herself as a “workhorse” on Capitol Hill, contrasting with El-Sayed's assertion that he poses “a threat to politics as usual,” as they discussed key issues like campaign funding and healthcare. The primary is set for August 4, and Democrats are aiming for a net gain of four seats in the midterm elections to secure a Senate majority.