Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan Abdul El-Sayed speaks to his supporters at his primary election night watch party in Detroit on Wednesday. Photo by Dieu-Nalio Chery/EPA
Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is projected to win the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan over Rep. Haley Stevens.
The final votes are being tallied on Wednesday and El-Sayed has a percentage point edge with 99% of ballots counted. The victory will send El-Sayed on to face Republican Mike Rogers in November's midterm.
El-Sayed, formerly a public health official, is running for a seat left vacant by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who is retiring. He served two terms in the U.S. Senate.
El-Sayed has been endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. His primary win marks another for progressive Democrats, a wing of the party that has found increasing success of late.
