The Senate race in Michigan reveals a divide among Democrats between political money and Gaza.

Washington – "Al-Quds" dot com - Said Arikat 

As the 2026 elections approach, Michigan is turning into a political battleground that reflects the deepest tensions within the American Democratic Party. The open race for the Senate seat includes three prominent candidates – Abdul Sattar Sayyid, Haley Stevens, and Mallory McMorrow – but it actually transcends local competition to showcase diverging trends regarding the party's identity and the position of progressives, in addition to the renewed division over the Israeli war on Gaza and the role of political money in shaping decisions.

Abdul Sattar Sayyid… the candidate betting on principle

Abdul Sattar Sayyid – a physician and well-known progressive activist of Egyptian descent – enters the race burdened by the legacy of his previous campaign for governor in 2018, which, although unsuccessful at the polls, solidified his political presence and earned him a notable grassroots following. This time, Sayyid appears more prepared to engage in a complex battle where local political considerations intersect with national transformations.

Sayyid (31 years old) presents himself as a candidate with a clear vision: a comprehensive healthcare system, a direct confrontation with corporate influence in political life, and an unequivocal stance on the war in Gaza. He has repeatedly stated: "Gaza was a moral test. Anyone who cannot call what is happening genocide needs to reconsider their value system." This rhetoric has garnered him support from prominent progressive figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, but at the same time placed him in direct confrontation with traditional power institutions within the party.

The competition trio… two progressives facing an establishment candidate

On the other side, Haley Stevens represents the centrist wing of the party, enjoying clear support from Democratic leaders and influential lobbying groups, foremost among them the Israeli lobby AIPAC, which has contributed significant amounts to fund her campaigns, similar to what it did previously to save her from a potential loss against progressive Congressman Andy Levin.

As for Mallory McMorrow, the majority leader in the Michigan Senate, she presents herself as a progressive voice capable of competing with Sayyid. However, leaked reports revealed that her campaign was preparing a position document tailored for AIPAC despite her public speeches rejecting its funding, raising questions about the credibility of her rhetoric and its consistency with her political practices.

Gaza… the moral compass for voters

The electoral scene in Michigan cannot be read without considering the impact of the war on Gaza. The state is home to one of the largest Arab communities in the United States, and its political weight became evident during the 2024 elections when the city of Dearborn voted 18% for candidate Jill Stein in protest against the Biden administration's stance on the war.

This shift made the candidates' positions on Gaza a decisive factor for large segments of young, Arab, and progressive voters. Sayyid was the first to describe what is happening in Gaza as genocide, followed by McMorrow later. In contrast, Stevens' rhetoric remained ambiguous, limited to calls for "humanitarian aid" without taking a clear political stance.

Analysts believe that Gaza has become a key determinant of voter behavior in the primaries and may redraw the map of alliances within the party.

Political money… the silent battle

Behind these moral and political stances lies the battle for funding, which often determines internal races within the Democratic Party. Stevens raised $4.7 million in the first nine months of 2025, most of it from major corporations and lobbying groups. McMorrow raised $3.8 million, while Sayyid's total donations reached $3.6 million – without receiving any dollars from major corporations, in adherence to his anti-corporate influence stance.

Sayyid believes that this disparity is not just a financial detail but a reflection of a deeper democratic crisis. He stated in one of his speeches: "Political money has distorted people's trust in the system and weakened the role of the voter, which calls for a reconsideration of the entire structure of the political process." This comes at a time when CNBC polls show that voter trust in Democrats has reached its lowest level since 1996.

Who is ahead? A preliminary reading of the scene

Recent polls show Stevens leading at 26%, followed by McMorrow at 25%, and then Sayyid at 20%. However, these numbers do not seem decisive, especially since Sayyid proved in 2018 his ability to jump from 4% to 30% within a few weeks before the elections. Analysts warn that the presence of progressive candidates may split the progressive base