Abdul El-Sayed, US Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, arrives to speak during a primary election night watch party at The Majestic Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, US, early on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive, anti-establishment Democrat running for Senate in Michigan, defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in one of the most closely watched and impactful primary elections of the 2026 midterm election. El-Sayed beat Stevens by 1 percentage point as The Associated Press called the race Wednesday morning with 99% of votes counted. "Overall, the election environment looks very challenging for Republicans, but Democratic primary voters, especially in critical Senate races in Maine and Michigan, may have saved the Republican majority in the Senate," the firm wrote. The results of Tuesday's Senate primary will provide a window into how voters are feeling nationally two years before the next presidential election.