U.S. Senate race results remain undecided

The hotly contested Democratic primary contest for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, between Congresswoman Haley Stevens and former Wayne County medical director Abdul El-Sayed, was simply too close to call as of 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning with 31 percent of the votes yet to be counted.

Despite several recent polls showing El-Sayed leading by as much as 15 points, Stevens was only trailing by about three points. El-Sayed had 578,390 (49.5 percent) votes to 544,424 votes for Stevens.

The majority of votes still out were from Detroit and some in Flint. Estimates provided by election officials say the final results should be available at some point Wednesday.

In another closely watched contest, for the open seat in the 11th district of Congress now held by Haley Stevens, as of about 10:30 p.m., it appeared that current state Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield Township), with about 49 percent of votes cast, would be the next member of the U.S. House.

The district includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills and the majority of Oakland County.

Moss, who would be the first openly gay member of Congress from Oakland County, raised about $1.4 million in the reports filed in July, and has been in the state Senate since 2019 after time in the state House. In both chambers of the legislature Moss was an important factor in the fight for women’s health care rights, expanded voting rights, gun control and rights for the LGBTQ+ community.

He had the backing of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and state Attorney General Dana Nessel, plus others of note. Moss beat candidates Aisha Farooqi, John Paul Torres and Don Ufford, and is expected to be the victor in November in a district that is considered in the Democratic column.

Democrat Jason Hoskins, a current state Representative, appeared to be the winner in the three-person contest for the 7th district of the state Senate which includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills.

Several hours after the polls closed, Hoskins had picked up almost 57 percent of the votes cast.

Hoskins, prior the entering the House, has spent a decade as a legislative aide in Lansing.

He beat back challenges from Shadia Martini and Rakesh Ramakrishnan. Hoskins will now face Republican Anthony Paesano in the November general election.

In the Democratic primary for the state House 6th district, which includes most of Birmingham and part of Bloomfield Township, Melanie Macey appeared well on her way to victory with about 65 percent of the vote as of midnight.

Macey defeated Democrats David Lauer and Charlie Gandy-Thompson for the right to face in November Mike Steger who was unopposed in the Republican primary.

As of midnight, incumbent Democrat House member Samantha Steckloff was leading with almost 72 percent of the vote against Brandon Young for the district that includes part of Birmingham and Bloomfield Township

On the Republican primary for the 19th House district, Kevin Hammer was leading with just over 66 percent of the vote against Mitch Swoboda but there was a considerable number of votes still not counted.

In the Republican primary for the 20th House district, which includes a very small part of Bloomfield Township, S. David Sullivan had 59 percent of the vote against Herman Barbe. However, a considerable number of votes have yet to be counted. The winner of this race will face incumbent Democrat House member Noah Arbit.

At 12;30 a.m., the Republican primary contest for the 54th House district, which includes Bloomfield Hills and part of Bloomfield Township, the race was very close. Roman Gaskey had 50.76 percent of the votes and Jeffrey Omtvedt had 49.24 percent. The winner will face Democrat Sarah Pounds in the general election.

As far as ballot issues, a renewal of public safety millage and road millage passed in Bloomfield Township.

On what is being billed as a county-wide enhancement millage for schools, as of 1 a.m. the “no” votes were 121,161 and votes in support were 118,511. The 1.5-mill tax would be collected for the first time this December and would last six years.

An update on close contests will be provided mid-morning on Wednesday.