MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. — The first televised debate in Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary turned combative Thursday, as three candidates sparred over the party’s direction and made their cases to voters ahead of the Aug. 4 primary.
The forum, held at the Mackinac Policy Conference, underscored a divide between the progressive and more moderate wings of the party. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit public health director running as a progressive, repeatedly went on offense against U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, according to the Associated Press, which reported that the debate was at times fiery.
“Democrats across our country and across Michigan are crying out for a new Democratic Party. We need a reckoning,” McMorrow said from the stage. McMorrow, a second-term state senator who rose to national prominence with a 2023 speech defending LGBTQ rights, argued that the party must broaden its appeal after losing the White House and failing to hold the Senate in 2024.
Stevens, a three-term congresswoman from suburban Detroit, emphasized her record in Washington and her ability to compete against Republicans in a state that has shifted back and forth in recent elections. El-Sayed, who previously ran for governor in 2018, challenged his rivals to reject corporate PAC money and adopt a more aggressive stance on economic inequality.
The seat is open after Democratic Sen. Gary Peters announced he would not seek reelection. Michigan, a premier battleground state, is considered essential for Democrats to defend if they hope to reclaim the Senate majority in November. Republicans are expected to mount a serious challenge for the seat.