The Democratic Senate primary in Michigan between Rep. Haley Stevens and liberal favorite Abdul El-Sayed remained too close to call early Wednesday morning, August 5, 2026, as slow vote counts from the Detroit area kept the political world watching closely.

Polls closed at 9 p.m. Tuesday, but the counting process was delayed, particularly in Wayne County—the state's largest and a critical source of Democratic votes—where officials were processing a heavy load of absentee ballots and reconciling precinct tallies. At the time, Wayne County had only 65% of its vote tabulated.

With 81% of the statewide vote counted, El-Sayed held a narrow lead with 48.9% to Stevens' 47.1%. Both candidates addressed supporters shortly after 1 a.m., acknowledging the race was too close to call and focusing on the upcoming general election against the Republican nominee, former Rep.

El-Sayed remarked, “I wish I could tell you I was declaring victory right about now,” joking about the lengthy vote count in Michigan. Stevens expressed confidence, saying, “friends, I am feeling good about this race,” while noting outstanding votes in Detroit and Macomb County. She added, “We are not gonna know the results for a little while … we gotta get some sleep or get some coffee,” estimating that results might not be finalized until Wednesday morning or later.

The race also saw significant financial involvement from the pro-Israel group United Democracy Project, which invested more than $30 million—their largest single-race expenditure ever.

Sources: Washington Times News

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