Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) endorsed Abdul el Sayed in the highly contested Democratic primary for Michigan’s next senator, adding to the list of national progressives standing behind the candidate.
Warren previously backed state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat who dropped out of the race earlier this month after el Sayed surged ahead in polls. McMorrow’s exit narrowed the field to two candidates, the progressive el Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens (R-MI), a centrist Democrat backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
“Abdul is the only candidate in this race not taking corporate money, and he’s fighting to get money out of politics altogether,” Warren said in a video posted to X. “Abdul studied to be a doctor, and he’s fighting for every single American to have affordable, high-quality healthcare.”
The progressive senator went on to cite el Sayed’s highly coveted endorsement from the United Auto Workers, as well as backing from other unions, emphasizing his movement focused on empowering the working class.
“He is the fighter Michigan needs in the Senate,” Warren said. “Michiganders deserve a senator who will fight for you, not for special interests running millions of dollars in TV ads to buy this seat.”
Warren’s endorsement may be seen as a bad omen, as some candidates that received her backing lost in their primary races or fell dramatically from grace, such as former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner and former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who was running for California governor.
Though her second choice, Warren is the latest progressive Democrat to get behind el Sayed as the race becomes a litmus test for the anti-establishment platform in the Midwest. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) joined el Sayed for campaign rallies in the Great Lakes State on Saturday and Sunday.
Sanders has backed el Sayed since he launched his campaign last April, but Ocasio-Cortez, who has been far more cautious in backing candidates in the 2026 elections, extended her endorsement earlier this month.
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El Sayed is backed by several other notable Democrats, including Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
Recent polling shows Stevens pulling ahead of el Sayed, aided by tens of millions in outside spending. According to Federal Election Commission filings, el Sayed reported having roughly $2.7 million in cash on hand at the end of June, a significant haul considering his pledge not to accept corporate PAC money. Stevens reported having $3.4 million at the end of June.
The Democratic primary is scheduled for Aug. 4, and the winner will face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, the presumptive Republican nominee.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
