But the big question is whether economic populist candidates, who run on platforms aimed at minimizing the influence of big money, can win in Michigan. Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the Senate Democratic primary, and Donovan McKinney beat sitting Congressmember Shri Thanedar. But important races still haven’t been called, and the general election may not be easy for all the progressive candidates. Branden Snyder is the state director of the Working Families Party. His group endorsed economic populist candidates up and down the ballot.