MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Democrats hoping to avoid a bruising primary in a must-win U.S. Senate race instead found themselves with a fiery and at times combative debate Thursday, as progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed repeatedly went on offense against his rivals.
READ MORE: In California's packed race to replace Newsom, Democrats are shrugging at their choices
The clash underscored a broader fight inside the Democratic Party as it tries to recover from its 2024 losses and chart a path forward in a premier battleground state. Voters in Michigan's Aug. 4 primary will choose among three candidates offering different visions for the party's future.
"Democrats across our country and across Michigan are crying out for a new Democratic Party. We need a reckoning," state Sen. Mallory McMorrow said from the stage Thursday.
The seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is one the party must hold if it hopes to reclaim the Senate majority in this fall's midterm elections. Seeking the nomination are Rep. Haley Stevens, McMorrow and El-Sayed, a former public health official.
