AOC Gives Much-Coveted Endorsement to Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate Race

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, arguably the most famous progressive member of the House, is endorsing Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in his race for the United States Senate in Michigan. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has guarded her endorsement this year as she weighs potential runs for either the Senate in New York or the presidency come 2028. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Dr. El-Sayed first met in 2018 after she won an upset primary victory to represent the Bronx and Queens in Congress. After her win, she endorsed Dr. El-Sayed in his race for Michigan governor, though he ended up losing that primary to Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Dr. El-Sayed is one of the few Democrats who have won Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s support this year. Despite being a national progressive figure, she has largely stayed out of contested primaries — especially races which include incumbent lawmakers. In an interview with the New York Times on Wednesday, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said Dr. El-Sayed has the best chance of winning the Senate race in Michigan this year. “Despite our ideological differences and whatever disagreements there are in the party, every single one of us sees this moment as existential,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez told the outlet. “And I think many people are willing to put aside differences in order to give us the best chance at winning. And I think that Abdul gives us that right now.”If he does win the primary, Dr. El-Sayed will face off against a former lawmaker, Congressman Mike Rogers, who narrowly lost the Senate race in the state in 2024 even though President Trump carried Michigan that same day. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez says Dr. El-Sayed’s communication style will serve him well against Mr. Rogers, who represented Michigan in the House for 14 years. “Just like it’s extremely challenging to run candidates that can’t raise money, it’s also just as challenging to run a candidate that can’t message online,” said Ms. Ocasio-Cortez told the Times. “I think we’ve now kind of crossed this Rubicon where online and digital messaging is no longer a niche. It is a core competency, just like any other.”In a statement Wednesday, Dr. El-Sayed praised Ms. Ocasio-Cortez for her impact on progressive politics.“AOC has changed the trajectory of American politics and inspired a generation to believe that government really can work for working people,” Dr. El-Sayed wrote. “I am deeply honored to earn her endorsement for U.S. Senate. Together, we’re proving that even in the face of unprecedented outside spending, a movement powered by the people can win.”According to the most recent polling, Dr. El-Sayed is leading his two opponents, Congresswoman Haley Stevens and state senator Mallory McMorrow, by a significant margin. Of the six public polls released of the Democratic primary in the month of June, Dr. El-Sayed leads in all of them by a margin of anywhere from two points to 19 points. Senator Bernie Sanders has also endorsed Dr. El-Sayed, though he did so last year long before Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Mr. Sanders, who has said is likely in his last Senate term, has endorsed a host of left-wing candidates and primary challengers across the country, unlike the New York congresswoman. Just in the last three weeks, Mr. Sanders helped unseat three sitting House members.

AOC Gives Much-Coveted Endorsement to Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate Race

AOC Gives Much-Coveted Endorsement to Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate Race

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