The leading Democrats in Michigan’s important Senate race squared off this week in a contentious debate, with Israel front and center.

Democrats thought tying Abdul El-Sayed to pro-Palestinian streamer Hasan Piker would derail his insurgent campaign in Michigan, but it backfired. Now, the race has become a key battle in the fight between the party establishment and progressive left.

Mamdani-backed candidates swept New York City’s Democratic primaries. What do these wins tell us about Palestine’s place in the Democratic Party, and will they help shape the upcoming primaries?

Abdul El-Sayed is a frontrunner in Michigan’s Senate primary and part of the pro-Palestine wave reshaping the Democratic Party. His campaign’s success is also rooted in Detroit’s long history of Palestinian solidarity in progressive politics.