Early returns and Detroit turnout
The panel featured former Republican state Rep. Rocky Raczkowski, Michigan Democratic Party Vice Chair Portia Roberson and Detroit Free Press columnist Andrea Bitley. Their discussion covered contests with implications for Michigan's political direction and the balance of power in Washington.
NBC News reported El-Sayed at roughly 54.4% and Rogers at 43.9% as of 9:50 p.m. ET on Nov. 3, with about 18.3% of expected votes counted. The network's designation remained "too early to call."
Earlier in the day, Detroit's Election Day turnout had exceeded the pace recorded in the 2022 midterms. Citing the Detroit City clerk, NBC News reported that about 75,000 voters had cast Election Day ballots by 5 p.m. ET, up from roughly 66,000 at the same hour in 2022.
The race to succeed Gary Peters
Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring after two terms, leaving an open seat. PBS News reported that it is the only Democratic-held open Senate seat in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2024.
El-Sayed previously served as Wayne County health director. Rogers served seven terms in Congress and chaired the House Intelligence Committee. This is Rogers' second Senate campaign: In 2024, he narrowly lost the race for Michigan's other Senate seat to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, according to PBS News.
El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination with a narrow victory over U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in August 2026. PBS News reported that he ran on a progressive platform with support from the United Auto Workers union. Two days before the general election, Stevens endorsed Rogers across party lines, a decision PBS said stunned Michigan Democratic leaders.
Fundraising and the pre-election outlook
El-Sayed entered Election Day ahead in the polling measure compiled by ShowdownWire. As of Nov. 3, its average of five published polling averages showed him leading Rogers by about 5.2 percentage points. Separately, the average rating from 10 forecasters was "Leans Democratic." Those assessments preceded the election results.
ShowdownWire's race page, updated Nov. 3, also reported a fundraising advantage for El-Sayed. The latest available Federal Election Commission filings through Sept. 30, 2026, showed that he had raised $45,175,567, compared with $20,565,706 for Rogers.
