Sanders predicts working-class Republicans could back socialist candidate el Sayed in Michigan

On Sunday, Senator Bernie Sanders told Meet the Press that a sizable portion of Michigan’s working-class Republican electorate might support socialist Senate candidate Abdul el Sayed if he defeats Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary. Sanders was prompted by Gary Peters’s assertion that a centrist Democrat would have broader appeal in the purple state. He countered that economic anxiety over healthcare, retirement, campaign finance and wages could drive those voters toward el Sayed’s platform.

The contest reflects a broader intra-party debate between progressive and centrist factions, with el Sayed backed by figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren, while Stevens enjoys endorsements from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Senator Charles Schumer. Recent polls show el Sayed leading Stevens by double digits. The primary winner will meet Trump-endorsed former Rep. Mike Rogers to succeed retiring Senator Gary Peters.