{"id":2633476,"date":"2026-07-22T06:37:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T10:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-democrats-fear-voters-staying-home-after-senate-primary\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T06:43:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T10:43:39","slug":"michigan-democrats-fear-voters-staying-home-after-senate-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-democrats-fear-voters-staying-home-after-senate-primary\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Democrats fear voters staying home after Senate primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigan-democrats-fear-voters-staying-home-after-senate-primary%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2633476&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan Democrats are concerned that a contentious Senate primary between Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul el Sayed coudl lead to voter apathy and demoralization, potentially weakening their chances in the November election. The primary,scheduled for August 4,has become a proxy battle between customary Democrats and the Left,with outside spending-especially over $50 million from pro-Israel groups supporting Stevens-playing a significant role. Both candidates aim to defeat Republican nominee ex-congressman Mike Rogers, but uniting the party afterward presents a challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of el Sayed contend that outside money and negative campaigns threaten democratic integrity, while Stevens faces attacks targeting her electability and character, including claims of disrespect towards women. The primary has highlighted ideological divides, especially on issues like U.S. support for Israel. some voters,like progressive activist Zak Spurlock,are wary of Stevens\u2019 candidacy,fearing she\u2019s a weak nominee,though both candidates have expressed commitment to uniting the party if either wins. The primary&#8217;s divisiveness echoes historical challenges in Michigan, emphasizing the importance of party unity for upcoming down-ballot races crucial to control of Congress.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>LANSING, Michigan \u2014 <\/strong>Michigan Democrats are worried that a bitter Senate primary between Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4654022\/haley-stevens-michigan-abdul-el-sayed-william-lawrence-cbc\/\">Haley Stevens<\/a> (D-MI) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abdul-el-sayed\/\">Abdul el Sayed<\/a> will leave voters demoralized in one of the most consequential swing states of the 2026 cycle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The nominee who emerges from the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\">Aug. 4 primary<\/a> will face the gargantuan task of uniting the party after months spent waging what, in effect, is a proxy fight between <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4654625\/bernie-sanders-barnstorms-michigan-kingmaker-credibility\/\">traditional Democrats and the Left<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4657974\/michigan-democrats-voters-stay-home-mudslinging-senate-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Michigan Democrats fear voters will stay home after mudslinging Senate primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4658186\/mike-johnson-trump-iran-war-midterms\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Johnson tells Trump to \u2018wrap it up\u2019 in Iran as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/johnson-says-wrap-it-up-in-iran-as-trump-rejects-midterm-influence-on-war\/\" title=\"Johnson says \u2018wrap it up... in Iran as Trump rejects midterm influence on war\">president rejects midterm influence<\/a> on war<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4657904\/louisiana-democrat-cleo-fields-abandons-reelection\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Louisiana Democrat Cleo Fields abandons reelection bid for House seat<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both candidates have promised to help defeat ex-congressman Mike Rogers, the expected Republican nominee, in November, no matter the outcome of the Senate primary. Bringing their voters back into the fold will be a bigger challenge, however.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s the baked-in resistance from progressive Democrats backing el Sayed, a former public health official who has spent months calling Stevens an empty suit beholden to corporate interests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters of Stevens, meanwhile, may be hesitant after weeks of ads painting him as unelectable and personally flawed. The biggest attack line aired on TV has been claims that he is \u201cdisrespectful\u201d toward women.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4654999\/haley-stevens-michigan-senate-race-black-voters-abdul-el-sayed\/\"><strong>HALEY STEVENS BETS ON BLACK SUPPORT IN MICHIGAN PRIMARY HOMESTRETCH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a dynamic that Dana Nessel, the attorney general of Michigan, says is once again putting her state in play for Republicans. Without addressing the Senate race specifically, she noted that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lansingstatejournal.com\/story\/news\/local\/michigan\/2016\/11\/10\/how-clinton-lost-blue-wall-states-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin\/93581812\/\">voter apathy<\/a> has been to blame for repeated losses in Michigan over the last decade, including Hillary Clinton\u2019s presidential defeat in 2016.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clinton lost the Wolverine State to President Donald Trump by fewer than 11,000 votes after a primary challenge from the Left mounted by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat ends up happening is we have a lot of division in our primaries, and then I see time and time again \u2026 Democrats just sitting out if their candidate doesn\u2019t win, and I think it\u2019s been incredibly detrimental for us, candidly as a country,\u201d Nessel said, speaking to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> at a campaign event in Bloomfield over the weekend.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nessel, a Democrat who is finishing her second term as attorney general, is supporting Stevens in the Senate race but said the party should rally around the full slate of nominees this fall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI mean, we have an embarrassment of riches in terms of candidates for the Democratic Party, but we should respect whoever the voters choose at the end of the day, and then come together as a party and vote for our candidates up and down the ticket,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her plea comes as Democrats attempt to keep Michigan\u2019s Senate seat, held by retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), and compete in several down-ballot races that will determine control of the House next year. The primary in Michigan\u2019s 7th District has also grown contentious with three Democrats vying to challenge Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI), including a climate activist who campaigned with el Sayed on Sunday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed supporters are already grappling with the possibility that it could be Stevens on the ballot in November. The two are fighting an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/polls\/michigan-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html\">exceptionally close race<\/a> that may be swinging in Stevens\u2019s favor thanks to tens of millions in outside support for her campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group, has made an especially large investment on behalf of Stevens, spending <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ap.org\/news-highlights\/elections\/2026\/aipac-has-spent-a-record-amount-on-michigans-senate-primary-the-biggest-test-of-its-influence-yet\/\">close to $30 million so far<\/a> on advertising in Michigan through its super PAC and affiliated groups. The total spending from pro-Stevens groups has been roughly $50 million.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wlns.com\/your-local-election-hq\/lansing-city-council-fourth-ward-candidate-zacharie-spurlock\/\">Zak Spurlock<\/a>, a progressive community activist who ran for Lansing city council last year, said he would vote for Stevens \u201cif push came to shove\u201d but expects that some of his friends and colleagues would leave the Senate race blank or write in another candidate if she advances to the general election.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI would do so extremely begrudgingly because I just think that she is a very poor candidate,\u201d Spurlock said, questioning whether party leaders will be as adamant about backing the Democratic nominee if the primary goes the other way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think that the old saying of \u2018vote blue no matter who\u2019 is a very one-sided statement, because if the progressive wins, I\u2019m curious to know how many moderate Democrats or establishment Democrats would say the same thing,\u201d said Spurlock, who attended a Sunday rally in Lansing for el Sayed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The question is being raised in the throes of an election in which el Sayed has told his supporters that special interests were attempting to \u201cgame and rig\u201d the system and that the influx of money was anti-democratic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know what you say about $50 million, but it seems hella anti-democratic to me,\u201d el Sayed said after his Lansing event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were already ideological differences between Stevens and el Sayed that could be insurmountable for some voters in a general election. One Jewish resident of Farmington Hills said U.S. aid to Israel, something that el Sayed opposes, will be \u201cfront and center\u201d for her this election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m definitely going to go with anyone who\u2019s supportive of Israel, of Israel\u2019s safety,\u201d said the voter, who asked not to be named in the story.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The other risk for Democrats is that character attacks will leave the eventual nominee damaged heading into the general election. Kimberly, a 71-year-old voter from Grand Ledge, said she was inclined to support el Sayed in the primary, but came to his rally in Lansing hoping to \u201cdispel\u201d what she\u2019s heard about him on TV.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She cited a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/politics\/articles\/ad-claiming-el-sayed-disrespected-211438766.html\">PAC-funded commercial<\/a> accusing el Sayed of disrespecting women. The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/umichvoter\/status\/2072704984387330128?s=20\">30-second ad<\/a> cites, in part, his past criticism of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) and former first lady Michelle Obama.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed bristled at those attacks when asked if he could get behind Stevens if she wins the primary, suggesting he\u2019s run the cleaner campaign and that voters won\u2019t forget how negative Stevens-aligned groups went on the airwaves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s important for us to be asking who actually has the ability to bring the Democratic electorate back together, and when you go scorched earth on somebody\u2019s character, right? It\u2019s just an important thing to be like, all right, how do you bring their voters back?\u201d he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> at the Lansing event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On whether he would personally back Stevens, he responded, \u201cI\u2019ve made it absolutely clear. I\u2019m gonna do everything I can to beat Mike Rogers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pro-el Sayed groups have released polls in recent days showing him ahead by double digits, but the latest independent survey, from the <em>Detroit News<\/em>, has Stevens leading by 7 points.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stevens similarly told reporters that \u201cwe\u2019re going to be able to band together no matter what happens,\u201d adding at a Friday event in Farmington that the \u201cjob starts with listening\u201d and that progressive voters would be \u201cheard by me\u201d if she wins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The invective most often directed at Stevens is online mockery over her \u201cawkward\u201d delivery in campaign speeches. El Sayed drew criticism for claiming she\u2019s unable to \u201cstring together two coherent sentences,\u201d but has more recently urged his followers not to engage in internet bullying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4647060\/cornyn-midterm-convention-snub-paxton-texas\/\"><strong>CORNYN HINTS AT SKIPPING MIDTERM CONVENTION AFTER LOSS TO PAXTON: \u2018MAY HAVE A CONFLICT\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The division flips on its head the dynamic from 2024, when Rogers had to overcome a contested primary that he says contributed to his narrow defeat against Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). This time, Republicans cleared the field for him and hope to benefit from the notoriously late date Michigan holds its primary elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Democratic primary became a two-way race after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who pitched herself as an ideological bridge between Stevens and el Sayed, dropped out earlier this month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan Dems fear primary may demoralize voters in key swing state<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2633477,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26189067784672_12d533-e1784667792580.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,83011,4601,32075,33358],"class_list":["post-2633476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-electoral-concerns","tag-michigan","tag-senate-primary","tag-voter-turnout"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26189067784672_12d533-e1784667792580.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2633476"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2633480,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633476\/revisions\/2633480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2633477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2633476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2633476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2633476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}