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Will El-Sayed’s Centrist Opponents “Vote Blue No Matter Who”?

It’s time for the Democratic establishment to take its own medicine.

Democratic Senate primary winner Abdul El-Sayed and Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow on August 5, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan

Call it a sweep. On Tuesday, progressives ran the table in the Michigan Democratic primary, with Donovan McKinney, Will Lawrence, and Abdul El-Sayed each dispatching their corporate-backed opponents despite a barrage of dark money-funded attack ads against them—including $70 million spent against El-Sayed, whose campaign overcame an 11-to-one spending disadvantage to secure his remarkable victory. 

The big question, now, is whether the Democratic establishment that opposed these candidates so vehemently in the primary will rally around the nominees their voters elected—particularly El-Sayed, whose race is a must-win for Democrats if they are going to take back the Senate.

Fortunately, a number of major party leaders have already announced their endorsement of El-Sayed. Congresswoman Haley Stevens released a classy concession statement saying she is “proud to offer” her support in the general election against Mike Rogers. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who backed Stevens in the primary, also endorsed El-Sayed, saying, “We’re all united by our shared goal of getting things done for the people in Michigan.” Kamala Harris sent out a fundraising email for him. And the machinery of the party is kicking into gear—the Democrats’ Senate Majority PAC has already put out a genuinely moving ad for El-Sayed, set to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.”

This shows how far the center of gravity in the party has shifted—and quickly. After all, it was only last year when a number of centrist leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, refused to endorse Zohran Mamdani after Democratic voters in New York City decisively chose him as their mayoral nominee. Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand even went on to falsely claim Mamdani supported “global jihad,” a message echoed by Democratic Representatives Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen. Today, of course, Mamdani is one of the most popular Democrats in the country.

And yet, despite all this progress, it’s clear we still have a long way........

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