Democrats face left-wing test after El-Sayed primary win

Recent wins by progressive candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's Democratic primary for a US Senate race, have intensified debate inside the Democratic Party before the November midterms.

El-Sayed's win over four-term congresswoman Haley Stevens followed Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York's mayoral race last year, giving the party's left wing another high-profile success.

Supporters of the progressive candidates say they are offering voters clearer answers on issues such as affordability. Todd Belt, a professor of political management at George Washington University, told AFP that left-wing candidates are gaining ground because they are giving some voters "something to vote for and not just against."

Some centrists warn that more polarizing nominees could weaken Democrats in swing states. Jonathan Cowan, head of the centrist Third Way group, told The New York Times it was "deeply troubling" to see far-left candidates winning in places that could matter in presidential elections.

President Donald Trump also pointed to El-Sayed's win as good news for Republicans. Decision Desk HQ on Thursday changed its rating for El-Sayed's race against former Republican congressman Mike Rogers from "Leans Democrat" to "Toss Up."

Belt called the November midterms a "critical test" for progressives. Cowan said Third Way would spend about $15 million from now until 2028 to oppose socialist influence among Democrats, including Mamdani's Democratic Socialists movement.

Tre Easton, vice president of the centrist Searchlight Institute, called for unity, saying on X that the Democratic Party spans "everything from center to socialist" and that each part needs the other.