Five Primaries That Could Reshape America

The battle for the Democratic Party's future is unfolding in five races where Israel has become a defining issue.

The future of America’s relationship with Israel will be decided in Democratic primaries across the country, highlighting a growing ideological divide within the party. Many of these races pit traditional Democrats against far-left candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). These candidates argue that revolution is the only path to change, and their supporters often go further, escalating the rhetoric into outright incitement.

Today’s primary winners become tomorrow’s lawmakers, so understanding, voting in, and getting involved in these races is not optional.

Here are five races to pay attention to right now:

1. Michigan Senate

Haley Stevens vs. Abdul El-Sayed

This is one of the highest-profile Democratic primaries in the country because it is taking place in a swing state and has become a national proxy battle between the party’s establishment wing, represented by Haley Stevens, and its extremist progressive wing, represented by Abdul El-Sayed. The Democratic primary will be held on August 4, 2026.

Haley Stevens is a four-term congresswoman representing suburban Detroit. A centrist, she is part of the Democratic mainstream, endorsed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and much of the party establishment, including Jim Clyburn, one of the longest-serving Black members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Stevens has rejected calls to end U.S. military aid to Israel. Her platform is based on lowering costs, job creation, expanding Medicaid, and boosting domestic tech manufacturing.

Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, former Detroit health director, and former gubernatorial candidate. He is backed by Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), and other leading progressive Democrats. Since October 7, Israel has become a defining issue of his campaign. He has falsely described Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a “genocide,” has called for ending U.S. military aid to Israel, and has made opposition to AIPAC a central theme of his campaign.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that his father-in-law, Jukaku Tayeb, donated $200,000 to a super PAC supporting El-Sayed and serves on the founding committee of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). The article notes that federal prosecutors identified ISNA in the Holy Land Foundation case as an organization associated with the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood network and named it as an unindicted co-conspirator.

2. Missouri’s 1st Congressional District

Wesley Bell vs. Cori Bush

This is one of the most closely watched House primaries in the country because it has become another national test of the Democratic Party’s extremist progressive wing and its approach to Israel. The August 4 Democratic primary is widely viewed as a referendum on whether voters prefer a more pragmatic, mainstream Democrat or a candidate aligned with the party’s left flank.

Wesley Bell is the incumbent congressman, a former prosecutor, and a more moderate Democrat. He has supported the U.S.-Israel alliance, rejected efforts to isolate Israel, and has earned backing from Democratic leaders including Hakeem Jeffries and Nancy Pelosi. His platform is based on boosting education, public safety, and economic mobility.

Cori Bush is a former member of Congress and a leading figure in the progressive “Squad.” Since October 7, she has emerged as one of the House’s most vocal critics of Israel, accusing it of committing “genocide,” calling for an arms embargo, and making opposition to AIPAC central to her political brand. She has also drawn support from progressive activists, including the DSA and former Squad member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman. Bush has faced a DOJ investigation into her campaign’s security spending, and she has openly backed the slogan “defund the police.”

3. Massachusetts U.S. Senate

Ed Markey vs. Seth Moulton

September 1 will mark one of this year’s highest-profile Democratic primaries because it pits one of the Senate’s longest-serving progressive leaders against a younger congressman arguing that Democrats need a new generation of leadership. While the race has centered on age and the party’s future, it also reflects a broader divide over Israel within the Democratic Party.

Seth Moulton is a Marine veteran and six-term congressman from Massachusetts. While he has criticized the Netanyahu government, he has taken a more traditional national security approach than his opponent and has emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Israel alliance and Israel’s right to defend itself. His campaign is centered on generational change (Moulton is 33 years younger than Markey), but he is also running on a more moderate Democratic platform that favors a public option over Medicare for All, supports full federal LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections, and stresses pragmatic, centrist governance.

Ed Markey is the 80-year-old incumbent, a two-term U.S. senator and one of the Senate’s leading progressives. He has become increasingly critical of Israel’s government and has called for restricting U.S. military aid to Israel. But Markey’s campaign is also built around the broader progressive agenda: Medicare for All, climate action, net neutrality, LGBTQ rights, and stronger consumer protections. He has been endorsed by Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and other progressive leaders.

4. Wisconsin Governor

Francesca Hong vs. the Democratic Establishment

This is one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries in the country because it will test whether the DSA can win statewide in one of America’s most important swing states. With Governor Tony Evers retiring, the August 11 Democratic primary has become a proxy battle between the party’s extremist progressive wing and its more moderate establishment. Hong has surged in the polls, prompting concern among Democratic leaders about her electability in November. Francesca Hong is a Wisconsin state representative, a member of the DSA, and one of the country’s most prominent anti-Israel elected officials. She has falsely called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide,” introduced legislation to repeal Wisconsin’s anti-BDS law, opposed the state’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, and has been endorsed by multiple DSA chapters, as well as Representatives Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna. She also raised tens of thousands of dollars through livestreams with Hasan Piker.

Unlike the Michigan Senate race, this contest is less about one head-to-head matchup and more about whether Democratic primary voters in a battleground state are willing to nominate a democratic socialist whose positions on Israel and other issues place her well to the left of the party establishment. Her primary pits her against two top contenders: former Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

5. Michigan’s 13th Congressional District

Shri Thanedar vs. Donavan McKinney

This primary race will test whether the party’s progressive wing can unseat an incumbent Democrat on August 4 in a safely Democratic district that includes Detroit and its suburbs.

Shri Thanedar is the incumbent congressman and a mainstream Democrat who has become one of Congress’s strongest supporters of Israel. He has consistently backed U.S. military aid to Israel and has received support from AIPAC. His campaign is also centered on familiar Democratic themes like economic opportunity, small-business growth, and constituent services, while House Democratic leaders including Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar have endorsed his reelection campaign.

Donavan McKinney is a Michigan state representative backed by Bernie Sanders, the Metro Detroit DSA, and other progressive organizations. While his campaign has focused primarily on affordability, wages, and working-class economic issues, he has also called for ending U.S. military funding for Israel and has been endorsed by anti-AIPAC organizations. The campaign has also aligned itself with Abdul El-Sayed, linking two of Michigan’s highest-profile DSA primaries.