Big Money Lost To Abdul El-Sayed. Where Will It Go Next?

Michigan just proved that money has its limits in elections. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed beat out establishment sweetheart Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) in what was likely the most expensive Democratic primary in U.S. history.

El-Sayed’s win was a major blow to the super PACs and shadowy nonprofits that spent tens of millions against him, but the story is far from over. AIPAC and its affiliates claimed five other victories around the country this week, and dark money groups are now training their sights on the general election in November.

Today on Lever Time, Natalie Bettendorf speaks with David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, about Abdul El-Sayed’s landmark win in Michigan, the must-watch primary races ahead, and the bizarre new landscape of political campaigns. They discuss the pop-up and shell PACs, billionaire-backed nonprofits, paid influencers pushing political messages, and the surprising lack of federal oversight in the 2026 midterms.

Want comprehensive 2026 midterm coverage? Check out The Lever’s new weekly newsletter, Midterm Madness, for election updates, analysis, and more.

More Lever reporting on AIPAC and the money influencing this year’s midterms:

• The Pro-Israel Lobby’s Quiet Cash Shuffle

• Inside The Israel Lobby’s New $90 Million War Chest

• Operation AIPAC Fury
  

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