Michigan’s Senate Democratic primary is latest test of the progressive movement’s power

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan Democrats voted Tuesday in a closely watched Senate primary between moderate U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed, with the winner heading to a November contest critical to the party’s hope of reclaiming the Senate majority.

Democrats endured a bitter and expensive campaign that became the latest proxy battle between the party’s establishment and progressive wings. Candidates from the left-flank — including democratic socialists — have found surprising success in the party’s U.S. House primaries, including in New York and Denver.

Those, however, were deep-blue cities. Michigan has a purple hue, and the Senate primary is the biggest test yet of the progressive movement’s growing political might.

Polls closed in the evening, and supporters gathered at th...