Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is jumping into one of 2026's biggest Senate fights, throwing her weight behind Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Democratic primary and putting herself at odds with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. In her first endorsement in a contested Senate race this cycle, Ocasio-Cortez argued that El-Sayed—not Schumer-backed moderate Rep. Haley Stevens—is best positioned to energize voters and keep the battleground seat blue, calling this political moment "existential" for Democrats, per the New York Times.
"After watching this campaign unfold for well over a year, it has become clear that Abdul El-Sayed is the strongest candidate to keep this seat in November," AOC said in a statement, per NBC News. "He is building a winning coalition by putting forward an agenda that speaks directly to working people." Politico notes that the race for the seat comes as two-term Dem Gary Peters is set to retire at the end of his term. El-Sayed, a progressive who supports Medicare for All and has backed abolishing ICE, is leading recent polls and would be the country's first Muslim senator if elected, per the Times.
He has also drawn support from Bernie Sanders and the United Auto Workers union, while Stevens has benefited from more than $16 million in super PAC spending, including from pro-Israel groups. The Aug. 4 primary, which also includes State Sen. Mallory McMorrow in a progressive-leaning lane, is seen as the marquee Democratic contest left this year. Establishment Democrats warn that El-Sayed is too liberal for a state that backed Trump in 2024. He counters that they're less afraid he'll lose than that he'll win, as well as challenge their style of politics.
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