Primary elections on August 4 will test the direction of the Democratic Party, particularly in Michigan, a critical battleground state. Voters will choose between a progressive candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and an establishment-supported candidate backed by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in a key Senate race.
The Michigan Democratic Senate primary has become a focal point for the party's internal debates. Abdul El-Sayed, representing the progressive wing, faces U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who has the backing of the Democratic establishment. The winner will need to unify disparate party factions to challenge Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, for the open seat. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring, and his seat is considered crucial for Democrats seeking to control the chamber.
A significant factor in the Michigan Senate race is the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its affiliated groups, which have reportedly spent nearly $30 million supporting Stevens. This spending highlights tensions within the Democratic Party regarding U.S. policy toward Israel, especially in Michigan, which has a large Arab American population. El-Sayed has framed the contest as a question of grassroots organizing versus large outside contributions.
This dynamic echoes past contests, such as the 2024 race where then-candidate Elissa Slotkin, now a Michigan senator, distanced herself from AIPAC amid pressure from Democratic activists concerning the Gaza war. Slotkin, who is Jewish, narrowly defeated Rogers by fewer than 20,000 votes in her previous election.
Republican voters in Michigan will also select their nominee for governor. Rep. John James has received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. However, businessman Perry Johnson has loaned his campaign over $30 million, presenting a potentially similar dynamic to a Georgia gubernatorial race where a self-funded candidate overcame a Trump-backed opponent.
In the Democratic primary for Michigan governor, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running against Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
Elsewhere, voters in Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington state will also be settling their primary races. In Virginia, Democrats face challenges in picking candidates after the state supreme court overturned a referendum that could have created four new winnable House seats for the party. This decision has left Republicans with a national advantage in House seats following a redistricting push by former President Trump.
Democrats in Virginia are hoping to regain ground by winning key nominations. In the 1st congressional district, a swing seat held by Republican Rep. Rob Wittman, Shannon Taylor, the commonwealth's attorney for Henrico County, is considered a strong contender for the Democratic nomination among seven candidates.
Two former House members are also seeking comebacks. Elaine Luria is running to reclaim her swing seat in the Virginia Beach-centered 2nd congressional district, which she narrowly lost in 2022. Tom Perriello is running for his former seat in the 5th congressional district in central Virginia, a district that has shifted more Republican since he last represented it. Perriello faces political commentator Robert Tracinski and physician Suzanne Krzyzanowski.
In Missouri, a rematch between Democrats in a House contest is also drawing attention. Two years ago, prosecutor Wesley Bell unseated Rep. Cori Bush in the primary for a district in the St. Louis area. Bush is now challenging Bell, reportedly aiming to retaliate against AIPAC for actions taken in the previous election cycle.