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Michigan Democrats just delivered a political plot twist—and Not Suitable for Democracy is breaking down how it happened. From upset victories to grassroots coalitions, this episode looks at the congressional races that helped reshape Michigan's Democratic Party—and may have decided one of the closest Senate primaries of the cycle.
MI-1: Callie Barr vs. Kyle Blomquist
In Michigan's sprawling First District, Callie Barr proved that running a second time can pay off. After losing the 2024 general election, Barr came back stronger, outraising her competition and turning that financial advantage into a primary victory. Meanwhile, DSA-endorsed Kyle Blomquist ran a genuinely grassroots campaign, refusing corporate PAC and lobbyist money and building a strong ground operation. For a first-time candidate, Kyle came up short—but his supporters may have had a much bigger role to play later that night.
MI-7: William Lawrence Pulls Off a Landslide
This one is a lesson in what happens when moderates split the vote. Bridget Brink had major progressive firepower behind her, including an endorsement from Jasmine Crockett, while Matt Maasdam had the backing of Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Their battle for the middle opened the door for William Lawrence, a progressive backed by the Working Families Party and Sunrise Movement, which he co-founded. Lawrence didn't just sneak through—he won decisively, proving that a strong grassroots coalition can turn a crowded primary into a progressive landslide.
MI-12: Rashida Tlaib Doesn't Miss
Meanwhile, Rashida Tlaib continued her reign in Michigan's 12th District, winning her primary with room to spare. Her political journey is already one of the most unusual in modern congressional history: in 2018, she navigated both a special election and a Democratic primary held on the same day. Since then, she's built an extraordinarily durable relationship with her community. This victory was another reminder that when voters trust their representative, incumbency isn't just a title—it's a movement.
MI-13: Donovan McKinney Takes Down Thanedar
Then came one of the night's biggest upsets: Donovan McKinney defeated incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar. Thanedar's campaign had plenty of controversy, from using impeachment articles as a political attention-grabber to distancing himself from the Democratic Socialists of America after October 7. McKinney took a very different approach: instead of building a coalition around ideology alone, he brought together progressive grassroots voters and establishment Democratic leaders, earning endorsements from both camps—including DSA. Turns out, sometimes the smartest progressive strategy is simply getting more people on your team.
And Then There Was Abdul El-Sayed
After the congressional races were called, Michigan's Senate primary became the political equivalent of checking your phone at 3 a.m. and realizing you're still not going to sleep. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens by roughly one percentage point, and the congressional races around the state may have helped make the difference.
The connections are fascinating: Kyle Blomquist's supporters in MI-1 had a natural home in Abdul's grassroots coalition. William Lawrence cross-endorsed El-Sayed after aligning with him on the fight against AI data centers—a policy issue where Gov. Whitmer's support for Stevens created an opening. Rashida Tlaib endorsed Abdul early, bringing her formidable grassroots network into the race. And Donovan McKinney's competitive primary helped drive turnout across MI-13, potentially strengthening the coalition Abdul needed to pull off the upset.
Michigan's primary wasn't just a collection of individual races. It was a network of candidates, endorsements, organizers, volunteers, and voters pulling in the same direction.
