2026 Primary Election results part 2: El-Sayed wins Democratic Senate nomination, incumbent Steve Carra advances
El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic nomination, receiving 48.48% of the vote (740,950 votes), while Stevens received 47.51% (726,057 votes). Former candidate Mallory McMorrow, who withdrew from the race in early July, still received more than 50,000 votes. While some votes are still being counted across the state, the Associated Press has called the race for El-Sayed.
As results continue to come in across Michigan, Watershed Voice is bringing you a second roundup of election results. We will continue to publish updates as they come in.
Candidate races
The Democratic primary for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat between former public health official Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens was called Wednesday morning after a long night of vote counting.
El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic nomination, receiving 48.48% of the vote (740,950 votes), while Stevens received 47.51% (726,057 votes). Former candidate Mallory McMorrow, who withdrew from the race in early July, still received more than 50,000 votes. While some votes are still being counted across the state, the Associated Press has called the race for El-Sayed.
El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers in the November general election.
In Michigan’s gubernatorial primaries, U.S. Representative John James won the Republican nomination with 50.1% of the vote (465,428 votes), defeating Perry Johnson and Mike Cox. On the Democratic side, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson secured the nomination with 83.2% of the vote (1,243,113 votes), defeating Christopher Swanson.
James and Benson will face each other in the November general election.
Locally, in the Republican primary for Michigan’s 36th House District, incumbent Steve Carra defeated two challengers, receiving 58.37% of the vote (5,945 votes). The closest challenger, Luke Lori, a former district court magistrate for St. Joseph County, earned 35.12% of the vote (3,577 votes) while Max Coon received 6.31% (643 votes). Democrat Cole Slaski won his parties nomination unopposed.
Carra will face Saluki in November’s general election.
The Democratic primary for Michigan’s 17th Senate District was won by Ashleigh Baker, who received 55% (11,041) of the vote. Baker defeated Brett Muchow, who garnered 26% (5,101) of the votes and Mike Jones who received 19% (3,822).
Baker will face Republican Jonathan Lindsey in the November general election.
In the Republican primary for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District—which includes Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties—incumbent Bill Huizenga received 85% (71,633) of the votes, defeating challenger Phillip Tanis who received 15% (12,646) of the votes.
In the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, Sean McCann defeated Diop Harris II with 65.7% of the vote (65,486 votes) to Harris’ 34.3% (34,195 votes).
McCann and Huizenga will face off in the November general election.
Millage
The remaining local millage on Tuesday’s ballot was the White Pigeon Community Schools sinking fund proposal. The proposal appeared on ballots in St. Joseph and Cass counties, and failed by a narrow margin with 51.05% (632) voting no and 48.95% (606) voting yes.
Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.
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