We've seen socialists and far-left candidates having success in places like New York City.
But it may be a little harder for such a candidate in Michigan.
Abdul El-Sayed is the choice of the more leftist folks in Michigan. He has the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14). El-Sayed claims he isn't a socialist, but he wants capitalism "regulated." He's in what looks to be a tight race with another Democratic candidate, Haley Stevens.
He had a lot of buzz going, but he's started to hit some rocks.
First, there's the question raised about black voter support in the Michigan race.
Case in point: his Detroit rally on Saturday had very few Black attendees, something that Stevens’ allies have since highlighted.
It also underscores a broader demographic challenge and criticism facing the progressive movement over the last several cycles — that it’s an overwhelmingly white faction that doesn’t represent Black or minority voters.
“I saw a picture that concerned me coming out of Michigan. I saw the rally,” Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said in an interview. “I didn’t see a single person that looks like me. That tells me all I need to know.”
We've seen this in the Senate race in Texas, where the leftist Democrat James Talarico won a bruising primary race against Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), and she expressed doubts about his black voter support. An angry black voter also screamed at Talarico at a recent town hall, showing more of that frustration.
AOC argued the vote was more "nuanced" than Clyburn's comment about El-Sayed's rally would suggest.
READ MORE: Watch: Talarico Gets Screamed at by Angry Black Voter at Houston Town Hall
James Talarico Appears to Have a Black Voter Problem; Will He Overcome It?
But now there's another big bump in the road for El-Sayed, and it's not making the leftist folks happy. The current Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) just endorsed Haley Stevens.
I am absolutely thrilled to have Gov @GretchenWhitmer’s endorsement for U.S. Senate. She is a champion for our state, she understands the stakes of this race and why it’s so important we elect the strongest Dem in this primary, and she gets stuff done for Michigan. Let’s go win! pic.twitter.com/NfFtlD2IWu
— Haley Stevens (@HaleyforMI) July 24, 2026
“As governor, I’ve had one strategy: Get things done. And that strategy informs everything that I do, and that’s why I’m endorsing Haley Stevens for the U.S. Senate,” Whitmer said.
Stevens said she was "thrilled" with the endorsement.
The leftist/anti-Israel crew was not happy. Here's a funny sample of how they were hitting back.
Gretchen Whitmer will never be President. https://t.co/zen5jv5TO8 pic.twitter.com/5td6CDJXxo
— AIPAC Tracker (@TrackAIPAC) July 24, 2026
However, according to some new polling, Whitmer has more than 87 percent approval with Democrats in Michigan, so her endorsement is likely to carry some weight.
Detroit News: “Across all of the poll participants, including those who already preferred a candidate, 34% — about one in three — said Whitmer's endorsement would make them more likely to support a candidate.”
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) July 24, 2026
“About 87% of the likely Democratic primary voters surveyed said they… https://t.co/8Y24EQTOxN pic.twitter.com/AzKFMaBBio
Detroit News: “Across all of the poll participants, including those who already preferred a candidate, 34% — about one in three — said Whitmer's endorsement would make them more likely to support a candidate.”
“About 87% of the likely Democratic primary voters surveyed said they had a favorable view of Whitmer, the top Democratic official in Michigan.”
So grab the popcorn, expect some more tantrum-throwing from the Left at Stevens, as they try to push El-Sayed.
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