Most expensive Democrat senate primary in Michigan as Abdul El-Sayed takes on AIPAC

How did the race for Michigan Senate become the most expensive Democratic primary race ever? That’s the $60 million dollar question going into Tuesday’s race between AIPAC-backed Representative Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor who volunteered in Gaza and former government healthcare director, which has captured national attention, far beyond a typical state primary.

There are multiple factors at play. Michigan is a swing state that the Republicans hope to flip red from the current Democratic Senate seat.

It is also home to one of the country’s largest Arab communities.

Importantly, for this midterm cycle, following a slew of progressive victories, it is widely considered a test for how well a grassroots campaign can perform against massive corporate funding in an election.

How much money is being spent in the Michigan Senate race?

Over $60 million in outside spending has been put into the Michigan Senate race, more than any other Democratic primary race in US history.

Who are the biggest donors in the race?

On Stevens' side, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has played a leading role in the race, reportedly putting $30 million towards Stevens' campaign, largely through its super PAC (political action committee), the United Democracy Project. Their TV ads focus on subjects other than Israel, thereby obscuring the sources of their funding.

"AIPAC has spent money on four themes: attacking Abdul for criticising women and the Obamas, helping Trump win, and [being interviewed by] Hasan Piker," David Frank, professor of rhetoric and political communication at the University of Oregon, told The New Arab, noting a general absence of a discussion of Israel in AIPAC-funded TV ads.

In addition to AIPAC, corporations and PACs with undisclosed funders have reportedly put at least another $20 million towards her campaign.

One of the main super PACs is called A Stronger Michigan, which supports Stevens but is officially independent of her campaign, and has put over $13 million towards Stevens' campaign, according to July filings with the Federal Election Commission. The PAC has positioned itself as a centrist group focused on pragmatic politics in its ads. It is mainly being funded by Center Forward, a nonprofit backed by major corporations that include healthcare and utility companies.

Stevens has said she supports healthcare reform within the existing system, while El-Sayed is a longtime advocate of Medicare for All.

Meanwhile, El-Sayed has raised around $14.5 million, mainly in individual contributions.

What are the candidates' histories of donations?

Stevens was elected to her current position in the House after ousting longtime incumbent Andy Levin, a popular Jewish congressman from a decades-long political dynasty. Her campaign was supported with over $4 million from AIPAC. Levin is now campaigning for El-Sayed.

Like his current Senate campaign, when El-Sayed ran for Michigan governor in 2018, he ran a grassroots campaign.

What is the status of the two candidates' personal financial disclosures?

According to financial disclosures by Stevens filed in May, she holds tens of thousands of dollars in investments and has a home mortgage and loan of several hundred thousand dollars. Her adjusted gross income for 2025 was around $170,000.

El-Sayed has shared a partial financial disclosure. His total income for 2025 was around $686,000. He has requested an extension to 13 August for his full filing due to tax complications for property held abroad for his wife’s family.

How is campaign funding likely to shift after Tuesday’' primary, ahead of the general election?

Moderates generally predict full support of the Democratic Party if Stevens wins. Some progressives, on the other hand, have raised concerns that if Stevens wins, AIPAC will shift its funding to her Republican opponent, given the group’s right-wing positions on Israel.

"She's not going to win against Mike Rogers [the presumptive Republican candidate]," said James Zogby, a veteran pollster and president of the Arab American Institute. "AIPAC wants a winner. They want to make a lesson of Abdul, but they don’t want Haley as senator. A lot of their donors are Republican anyways."

If El-Sayed wins, there appears to be a consensus that this would be a turning point in US political campaigns in which individual voters and donors are able to beat big money.

"If Abdul wins, it would not just be a big issue for the Arab community, not just for progressives, and not just for the Middle East debate. It would be a big issue for campaign finance," Zogby added.