Senate debate on FOX 2: Previewing Michigan’s primary race
The Pulse is FOX 2's daily news politics show hosted by Roop Raj. Putting people over politics every night streaming first at 7:30 each night and at 11:30.
FOX 2’s "The Pulse" is hosting another debate ahead of Michigan’s primary election.
This time, Democratic Senate candidates Rep. Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed will be in studio hoping to stake their claim as the best candidate to keep Michigan’s open seat blue in the Senate come November.
Watch FOX 2 Senate debate
Big picture view:
The debate will be held on Monday, July 27, beginning at 7:30 p.m. It will be moderated by Roop Raj, host of "The Pulse."
How to watch :
The debate will air live on FOX 2 that night from 7:30-8 p.m., and continue streaming exclusively on FOX Local from 8-8:30. You can also watch livestreams wherever you watch FOX 2 on TV or online, and on our social media pages.
FOX 2 will be taking your questions for the candidates via text that night.
The FOX Local app is available for iPhone users here, and for Android users here.
Stevens vs. El-Sayed
FOX 2’s "The Pulse" is hosting a debate between Democratic Senate candidates Rep. Haley Stevens (L) and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (R) on July 27. (Getty Images)
Why you should care:
Michigan’s Senate primary is viewed as the biggest battle to date between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party.
The backstory:
Stevens is backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the party establishment. El-Sayed is a former Wayne County Health Department director endorsed by progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He has also picked up an endorsement from the United Auto Workers.
Previously:
Progressive state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, once the third major Democrat candidate in the primary, suspended her campaign earlier this month.
RELATED: Mallory McMorrow drops out of U.S. Senate race
Michigan Senate race
What's next after McMorrow suspends senate campaign?
State Senator Mallory McMorrow ended her campaign for United States Senate over the weekend, but the question of "What's next?" remains. Republican Strategist Jason Cabel Roe and Detroit City Council Member Mary Waters try to answer that question. Plus, Oakland University Associate Professor of Management Michael Greiner discusses the latest jobs report.
Big picture view:
The seat is open because Democrat Sen. Gary Peters is retiring.
The rare opening is a top target for Republicans to tack on a new seat and retain their majority – while the seat is a must-hold for Democrats as they aim to win back the majority.
By the numbers:
The GOP currently controls the chamber with a slim 53-47 margin.
The other side:
Whoever wins the primary will ultimately face off against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running for the Senate for a second straight cycle after losing in 2024 to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin by a razor-thin margin.
Republicans haven’t won a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan since 1994, though Rogers came within 20,000 votes of doing so in 2024.
What's next:
Michigan’s primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 4.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from previous WJBK FOX 2 reporting and FOX News Digital.