Inside the El-Sayed-Stevens Michigan Senate primary that could be barometer for the Democratic Party

Democratic voters in Michigan are casting ballots in a highly contested Senate primary between progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed and moderate candidate Rep. Haley Stevens. The primary is seen as a barometer for the Democratic Party, with implications for the party's future direction.

The contest has centered on issues such as US support for Israel, with El-Sayed campaigning to end unconditional US military aid to Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post. Stevens is backed by the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel groups.

The winner of the primary will face Republican Mike Rogers in November for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. The race is considered one of the Democrats' best opportunities to defend a seat in a key battleground state, with Democrats needing a net gain of four seats to reclaim control of the Senate. El-Sayed has received endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as per Live Mint.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, Jerusalem Post, Live Mint — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.