[[link removed]]
PRIMARY SEASON CONTINUES!
A MASSIVE NIGHT FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY!
The most expensive Democratic Senate primary in U.S. history in Michigan was a NAIL-BITER, with some races still too close to call. Michigan and Virginia will play an outsized role in November. We also saw Cori Bush lose her comeback bid in Missouri and important results for Muslim allies in Virginia, Washington, and Kansas, shaping key races for Congress, statewide office, and local government as the 2026 general election comes into focus.
Primary elections are often the most important in an election cycle, but too many Americans don’t bother to vote in them. Emgage Action’s goal is to help Muslims stay informed and engaged!
TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE HERE [[link removed]]
MICHIGAN
U.S. Senate
Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, clinching the nomination in a close race over Rep. Haley Stevens and establishing a Midwest beachhead for a progressive left on the march this midterm cycle. If El-Sayed wins in November, he would become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history.
The story of this race is the money. He ran unapologetically on Medicare for All, ending U.S. military aid to Israel, and reducing AIPAC's influence (refusing any corporate money in his campaign) in Democratic primaries, while overcoming nearly an 11-to-1 spending disadvantage and opposition from much of the Democratic establishment, including Michigan's governor.
Combined outside support for Stevens exceeded $60 million total. El-Sayed, by contrast, had roughly $5 million in outside support, a spending ratio of nearly 11-to-1. He won anyway.
El-Sayed now has Stevens' endorsement, and will now face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in November. The race is considered one of a handful of competitive Senate contests and AIPAC has already signaled that it will support the Republican.
Emgage Action endorsed El-Sayed and our community's organizing in Dearborn, Hamtramck, and across the Arab American belt of metro Detroit was a central part of his coalition.
U.S. House: District 13
Challenger and Emgage Action endorsee Donavan McKinney beat incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in the Democratic primary for the Detroit-area seat.
This upset represents a stunning defeat of the two-term congressman and virtually guarantees the return of Black representation in Congress for the majority-Black city of Detroit. McKinney was endorsed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Sen. Bernie Sanders, and he and El-Sayed cross-endorsed each other as part of a coordinated progressive effort to remake Michigan's congressional delegation.
U.S. House: District 12
Emgage Action endorsee Rep. Rashida Tlaib won her Democratic primary and is on track to seek a fifth term in Congress this November. She was endorsed by state senate candidate Abraham Aiyash and cross-endorsed Abdul El-Sayed, and her victory ensures at least one Muslim voice remains in the U.S. House.
U.S. House: District 7
In one of Michigan's biggest surprises of the night, progressive organizer William Lawrence, founder of the Sunrise Movement, won the Democratic nomination after two centrist candidates split the establishment vote. Lawrence ran on an unapologetically progressive platform centered on climate action, affordable housing, labor rights, Medicare for All, and ending U.S. support for the war in Gaza. His victory reflects growing grassroots energy in the district and sets up a closely watched general election in a competitive seat, where his campaign will test whether a left-wing economic and climate agenda can prevail in a battleground district.
U.S. House: District 8
In contrast to all the other races, the craziest story of the night came from the Republican side. Amir Hassan, a Christian Republican who happens to have a Muslim and Arab sounding name, supported Israel and was endorsed by Trump, lost to a man who SUSPENDED his campaign in July, but didn't have a Muslim or Arab name: Thomas Smith. Amir, who was the only Trump-endorsed Republican who lost the primary in Michigan, lost by 17 percentage points. That's some "anti-Muslim-ish" bigotry right there, folks.
Governor
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson won the Democratic primary for governor, with the AP declaring her the winner at 9 p.m., holding approximately 84% of the vote over Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Benson will face Rep. John James, who won the Republican gubernatorial primary, in the November general election. Emgage Action endorsed Benson. Michigan has not elected a Republican governor in over two decades, and Benson enters November as a clear favorite.
State Legislature
Michigan State Senate: District 2
Emgage Action endorsee Abbas Alawieh won the Democratic primary in the 2nd District, which covers Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, and parts of Detroit and Allen Park. Alawieh co-founded the Uncommitted movement, which pressed Democratic voters to cast a protest vote against President Biden in the 2024 primary over the administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Michigan's 2nd Senate District has the highest concentration of Arab Americans among the state's 38 Senate districts. The district leans heavily Democratic, so Alawieh is the strong favorite in November.
Michigan State Senate: District 1
Emgage Action endorsee Abraham Aiyash, the former state House majority floor leader, is currently trailing attorney Justin Onwenu in the Democratic primary for the newly drawn 1st District. Aiyash had refused corporate PAC money and campaigned on freezing DTE Energy bills for five years, ending ZIP-code auto insurance pricing, and universal childcare. Onwenu, endorsed by Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, ran on cost of living and higher wages. Aiyash was a vocal figure in the Uncommitted campaign, which took 13.3% of the Democratic presidential primary vote in 2024, and he drew criticism for not endorsing Kamala Harris. This race has not been officially called as of publication, but we will update you.
Michigan State House
A strong night at the state house level.
Emgage Action endorsees Alabas Farhat (District 3), Jalal Abdallah (District 15), Tonya Myers Phillips (District 7), Ranjeev Puri (District 24), Dylan Wegela (District 26), Lisa McIntyre (District 22), and Katrina Manetta (District 58) all won their primaries. These wins matter: a strong bench in the state legislature is how the community builds durable power in Michigan over time.
VIRGINIA
U.S. House: District 5
Tom Perriello, endorsed by Emgage Action, won the Democratic nomination in Virginia's 5th Congressional District with more than 76% of the vote, defeating physician Suzanne Krzyzanowski and writer Robert Tracinski. Perriello, who represented the district from 2009 to 2011 and later served as the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan under the Biden administration, will face Republican Rep. John McGuire in November, who called Perriello "a communist" in his post-primary statement. This is a competitive district and a genuine pickup opportunity for Democrats.
U.S. House: District 8
Six-term Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Alexandria turned back four primary challengers in the 8th District, winning 66.89% of the vote. Beyer, endorsed by Emgage Action, is heavily favored in November in this Northern Virginia district.
U.S. House: District 1
Emgage Action endorsee Salaam Bhatti, a Muslim public-interest attorney, placed second in the Democratic primary in Virginia's 1st Congressional District. Shannon Taylor finished first, with Bhatti taking approximately 19.93% of the vote. Virginia's 1st District is heavily Republican and this was always a long-shot race for Democrats; this outcome does not change the general election fundamentals.
MISSOURI
U.S. House: District 1
Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former Rep. Cori Bush in a Democratic primary rematch. Bell overwhelmed Bush on the airwaves, fending off her push to make the race a referendum on his support for U.S. aid to Israel. In total, Bell's campaign and outside allies outspent Bush by a staggering 27-to-1 ratio. With 99% of the vote counted, Bell had 59.2% to Bush's 36.9%.
Bell's win was propelled in part by United Democracy Project, the super PAC arm of AIPAC, which spent more than $3 million to thwart Bush's comeback, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Bell was also endorsed by House Democratic leadership and the Congressional Black Caucus, while Bush had the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders and left-wing groups such as DSA and Justice Democrats.
Bush won her original seat in 2020, was ousted by Bell in 2024 with heavy AIPAC spending, and launched this rematch explicitly framing the race as a fight against AIPAC's influence. The margin of her defeat grew wider in the rematch. Bell faces nominal Republican opposition in November in this safely Democratic district.
WASHINGTON
U.S. House: District 7
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, endorsed by Emgage Action, advanced to the general election after placing first in Washington's top-two primary. Jayapal, the former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is heavily favored to win re-election in November in this Seattle-based district.
KANSAS
U.S. Senate
Democrats nominated Adam Hamilton to challenge incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall this fall. While Republicans remain favored in Kansas, the race will be part of the broader battle for Senate control in November.
Governor
Kansas voters finalized one of this year's most competitive gubernatorial matchups, with Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher advancing to face Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson in November. The race is one of the few open governor's contests in a traditionally Republican state where Democrats have recently found success. Both parties will view Kansas as an early test of their appeal in the Midwest heading into Election Day.
WHY IT MATTERS
Abdul El-Sayed's victory is a generational milestone for Muslim political power. El-Sayed will become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate in American history. He ran unapologetically on Medicare for All, ending U.S. military aid to Israel, and reducing AIPAC's influence in Democratic primaries, while overcoming nearly an 11-to-1 spending disadvantage and opposition from much of the Democratic establishment, including Michigan's governor. His victory demonstrates that a candidate can win statewide without compromising on core progressive values or Muslim community priorities.
Abbas Alawieh's win signals that authentic representation is taking root in Michigan. The Michigan State Senate victory of Abbas Alawieh is another landmark result. A co-founder of the Uncommitted movement and former chief of staff to Rep. Cori Bush, Alawieh built his campaign around the belief that Arab and Muslim Americans in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights deserve leaders who understand and reflect their communities. His election represents another step forward for a new generation of Muslim public servants.
Michigan's legislative victories show that the community is building lasting political power. The bigger story extends beyond any single race. With leaders like Alawieh joining lawmakers such as Farhat, Abdallah, and others in Lansing, Muslim Americans are building a durable bench of elected officials capable of shaping policy for years to come. That long-term infrastructure is just as important as winning high-profile statewide offices.
The night's results also highlighted both the opportunities and the obstacles ahead. Missouri demonstrated that outside spending remains a powerful force, as Cori Bush's comeback bid fell short after being heavily outspent by AIPAC's United Democracy Project and its allies. Meanwhile, Virginia offered a more mixed picture: Salaam Bhatti's loss in a Republican-leaning district was not unexpected, while strong performances from allies like Tom Perriello and Don Beyer underscore that coalition-building and Muslim political engagement continue to gain ground heading into November.
What's next?
August 6: Tennessee primaries
August 8: Primary elections in Hawaii
August 11: Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin get ready to vote
August 18: Primaries in Alaska, Florida, Wyoming, plus the outcome of the CA-14 special election
September 1: Massachusetts, New Hampshire have their primaries
September 9: Rhode Island votes after Labor Day on a Wednesday, which is so strange
September 15: Delaware
Check out Emgage Action's endorsements! [[link removed]]
And that's it from us, folks. We will see you next week!
Check to see if you're registered to vote! [[link removed]]
Help us continue our work by donating today!
DONATE NOW [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Donate $20 for 20 years of Emgage Action! [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
Emgage Action
P.O. Box 228
Kathleen, FL 33849
United States
If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .