The far-left insurgency within the Democratic Party has scored another victory, with a co-founder of the progressive Sunrise Movement emerging as the winner of a contentious Michigan primary.
William Lawrence defeated two establishment-backed Democrats, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam, to win the Democratic nomination for Michigan's 7th Congressional District, anchored in Lansing.
Lawrence will now go on to face Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., a military veteran seeking a second term in Congress this November. Barrett ran unopposed in the Republican primary after winning the seat in an open race in 2024.
Lawrence's victory is a commanding win in the wider civil war for the soul of the Democratic Party, with battles being waged across the country. Many see it as a significant blow to the party's chances of regaining control of the House of Representatives.
Lawrence's campaign received support from Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a prominent Democratic Socialist and fellow Michigan Democrat, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a self-described democratic socialist.
The Sunrise Movement, which Lawrence co-founded in 2017, began as a youth-focused climate activist group that pushed the Green New Deal. Its non-climate policy platform has included calls to abolish police and get Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of U.S. cities.
Lawrence's victory is likely the best outcome for Republicans, who are fighting a nationwide uphill battle to keep control of the House of Representatives.
