2026 Toss-up
Michigan, US Senate
Incumbent: Gary Peters (D, Retiring)
Incumbent: Gary Peters (D, Retiring)
The Associated Press called Michigan's Democratic Senate primary for El-Sayed on August 4, 2026: 48.5% to Haley Stevens' 47.5%, a margin of fewer than 20,000 votes with 99% of ballots counted.
| Total ad spending and reservations in the primary | ~$98.2M |
| Ad support backing Haley Stevens | $63.9M |
| Spent boosting Stevens or attacking El-Sayed | at least $60M |
| From AIPAC's United Democracy Project super PAC | $30M+ |
| Share of Democratic-side spending from outside groups | 88% |
The $30M+ from United Democracy Project was its largest spend in a single race ever, and nearly double the previous record set in Jamaal Bowman's 2024 primary. The Intercept called this "the most expensive Democratic Senate primary in history." Bridge Michigan, citing a July 31 AdImpact analysis, reported the $98.2M total as the third most expensive Senate primary of any party in U.S. history, with outside groups accounting for 88% of Democratic-side spending.
Figures are AdImpact estimates of ad spending and reservations as reported by the outlets cited above, not FEC-reported receipts or disbursements. They cover advertising only.
| Top 10 donors | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezzeddine, Dina BERKELEY, CA | $14,130 · 5 gifts |
| 2 | Aljumaily, Anas DALLAS, TX | $14,000 · 3 gifts |
| 3 | El-Sayed, Abdul SAINT CLAIR SHORES, MI | $14,000 · 4 gifts |
| 4 | Nafal, Mohamad CARROLLTON, TX | $14,000 · 3 gifts |
| 5 | Barakat, Abdul VAN NUYS, CA | $14,000 · 5 gifts |
| 6 | Nafal, Adham CARROLLTON, TX | $14,000 · 3 gifts |
| 7 | Dari, Ahmad SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP, MI | $14,000 · 3 gifts |
| 8 | Issa, Said M ANN ARBOR, MI | $12,500 · 4 gifts |
| 9 | Daoud, Imad M SAN GABRIEL, CA | $12,000 · 5 gifts |
| 10 | Ahmed, Muzammil CANTON, MI | $11,600 · 8 gifts |
Figures are itemized individual contributions to each candidate's principal campaign committee, from FEC filings. Federal committees itemize donors whose contributions total more than $200 in a cycle, so contributions below that threshold are reported only in aggregate and are not included — the sub-$200 figure above is the share of itemized dollars arriving in small gifts, not the candidate's overall small-dollar share. These totals also exclude PAC receipts, party transfers, and independent expenditures by outside groups, which in some races exceed everything the candidates raise themselves.
Race last verified 2026-08-09.
Sources: AP call via CNN, CNBC, Washington Post, NBC News, Bridge Michigan (2026-08-04/05).
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