Michigan Democrats selected Abdul El-Sayed as their nominee for governor on Wednesday, choosing a progressive candidate who has openly embraced the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders.

Mr. El-Sayed, a former health commissioner in Detroit, defeated Gretchen Whitmer, a former leader of the Michigan House of Representatives, and Bill Schuette, the state’s attorney general. Mr. El-Sayed’s win is a victory for the left wing of the Democratic Party.

In other news, the Senate confirmed Dr. Robert R. Redfield as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Redfield, a physician and former head of the White House’s AIDS research program, was confirmed by a vote of 90-10.