Recent polling from the Detroit News indicates that Abdul El-Sayed, the most progressive candidate in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, holds a lead of 7 points among college-educated voters likely to participate in the primary. In contrast, Haley Stevens leads by 22 points with likely non-college-educated voters.

El-Sayed is also winning white voters by 12 points, while Stevens, despite being white herself, trails with white voters but dominates the black voter demographic with a 46-point lead. Stevens holds a 9-point advantage among those who have already voted, whereas El-Sayed leads by 18 points among election day voters.

This dynamic mirrors patterns seen in other states, such as Maine, where progressive candidates have found stronger support among college-educated voters rather than the working class. The data challenges the notion that far-left, democratic socialism–friendly candidates are successfully courting working-class voters. Instead, El-Sayed's base appears to consist largely of younger, college-educated individuals, including those with degrees from institutions like Columbia University and significant student loan debt, rather than traditional factory workers.

— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) July 14, 2026

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