How can different views within the Democratic Party shape their success in future elections in Michigan?
Democratic socialists look like they're about to rack up a stunning new victory: Their candidate in Michigan's Senate Democratic primary has the momentum heading into Tuesday's primary. Why it matters: A win by Abdul El-Sayed in the swing state would turbocharge the party's left flank and validate establishment fears about the party's direction. The big picture: Establishment Democrats have watched in horror as democratic socialist candidates pull off one win after another in House primaries this year. The Michigan primary brings the ideological clash to its biggest stage yet. El-Sayed, who's backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is taking on an establishment favorite in a race that's become a proxy fight between the party's far-left and center-left wings.Democratic leaders have gone all-in for Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens because they think she can win moderate voters — and El-Sayed can't.But El-Sayed has vaulted to a hefty lead in the final stretch of the campaign. One survey this week had him up 15 points. Other polls have shown him with smaller but still substantial leads.The political stakes don't get much higher. If Democrats lose Michigan on Nov. 3, they almost certainly aren't winning the Senate. State of play: Together with Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City mayor's race, democratic socialists have proven they're not on the periphery of the party anymore — the center of gravity has shifted unmistakably in their direction. A CNN poll out Thursday showed about a third of Democratic voters identify as democratic socialists — and they're the most motivated to turn out.But winning House primaries is one thing. Winning a statewide Senate primary in one of the nation's premier battlegrounds is another. Driving the news: El-Sayed has gained ground as the campaign progressed. Stevens had a sizable lead early on, with El-Sayed in second and state senator Mallory McMorrow trailing. But El-Sayed moved up over the past two months, an