By
Ed Kilgore,
political columnist for Intelligencer since 2015
Abdul El-Sayed, who seems to be overcoming a huge financial disadvantage in Michigan.
On August 4, both parties will hold primaries in five states: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington. While there are many contests of great local interest, the national political focus will be on the Democratic primaries in Michigan and Missouri. These are the latest tests for the national progressive surge that emerged in earlier 2026 primaries (especially in New York and Colorado). In Michigan, we will get the first of several opportunities to see if a shift to the left can succeed in competitive as well as deep-blue territory. And in Missouri, a comeback attempt by a previously defeated Squad member will be a barometer for intraparty change.
