Dems' leftward lurch gets legs as El-Sayed's Michigan Senate victory sparks party debate

DETROIT, MI - Abdul El-Sayed's victory over moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan's high-stakes Democratic Senate primary is a massive boost for the party's left-wing in its ideological battle with the center-left establishment.

A progressive who has never held elected office defeated an establishment-backed congresswoman in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary. Far-left candidate backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would make history as first Muslim US senator.

Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee, said of El-Sayed: "way too extreme for Michigan. I mean, Abdul, he has his own special sauce of crazy."

"It's not all that clear that the party has shifted that far to the left," said Third Way's Matt Bennett.

El-Sayed: "endorsements don't vote. People vote."

PCCC's Adam Green: "any win against $60 million dollars of outside spending by AIPAC and corporate interests is a giant win"

The primary cost more than $80 million, the most expensive Democratic Senate nomination contest in history.

Matt Bennett: "Democratic voters everywhere are very very angry at Trump and they're flipping over the tables"

MSU professor Matt Grossmann: "Stevens was no one's first choice"; "this was a terrible year to be running the most pro-Israel candidate available"

El-Sayed: "our job is to listen to folks, as it has been since we kicked off this campaign"; "I think the people are telling us that they want money out of politics. Money in your pocket, Medicare-for-all."