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By Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari
With its early August primary looming, Michigan is the next state to shine a spotlight on Democratic divisions.
But unlike in deep-blue New York and Colorado, where progressives notched big wins last month, Michigan is a swing state, with a Senate race that will be key to deciding control of the chamber and several competitive House seats.
The Democratic primary for Senate, now a two-person race between centrist Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive former public health official Abdul El-Sayed, is the next big test for progressives, as they seek to flex their clout in Democratic politics, even in a battleground state. Stevens, meanwhile, is warning that Republicans would rather face El-Sayed this fall. The involvement of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which has run ads through its super PAC the United Democracy Project to support Stevens, has also put the charged topic of Israel at the center of the race.
