Michigan's Senate primary becomes a proving ground for Democrats' leftward shift

Michigan's Democratic Senate primary has become a high-stakes test of the party's direction: establishment favorite Haley Stevens is challenging Abdul El-Sayed, who is backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. El-Sayed has gained ground in polls, while Stevens enjoys robust endorsements and a record influx of pro-Israel money from AIPAC; the result could signal whether the Democratic socialist surge can translate to statewide victory and influence the party's national strategy—winning in November would bolster the leftward shift, while a Stevens win would complicate it.