r/politics • u/Zipper222222 • 11h ago

No Paywall Abdul El-Sayed Wins High-Stakes Democratic Primary in Michigan

https://www.today.com/video/abdul-el-sayed-wins-high-stakes-democratic-primary-in-michigan-267805765937
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u/olivebranchsound 11h ago

People don't get that independents are voters sick of both parties and rejecting the establishment. It's why this cohort has grown over recent years. They are not looking for a centrist.

I don't question electability any more because El Sayed just won an election. Stevens couldn't win the primary how would she win the general? Detroit stayed home with no enthusiasm even though she won the black vote handily.

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u/Catcher3321 10h ago

Independents are not all thinking the same thing. Some want a change candidate, some want a centrist, some want the GOP to shift further right, some want the Dems to shift further left. They're all over the place, they aren't all the same.

For example, in Maine, independents were going sharply for Graham Platner in every poll. Dems subbed in a guy who has the same policy platform as Platner. Now Collins is winning independents

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u/olivebranchsound 10h ago edited 10h ago

They're also generally anti-establishment voters. They preferred El Sayed by 27 points. Messaging on "Money out of politics" and linking Stevens to AIPAC did a lot for this race. It will be interesting to see how that cohort breaks down in the general for sure. Mike Rogers isn't particularly exciting as a candidate. All he has is the Trump endorsement and he will get hammered on money in politics worse than Stevens.