Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has formally endorsed Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in the three-way Democratic primary for the Michigan Senate seat, marking her first endorsement in a competitive Senate primary this election cycle.
"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," Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said in a statement. "He is building a winning coalition by putting forward an agenda that speaks directly to working people."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had previously backed El-Sayed, who is considered the most progressive candidate among the major contenders. The primary also includes state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Rep. Haley Stevens.
In a separate development, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) endorsed McMorrow, who has seen a decline in recent polls. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has expressed a preference for Stevens, citing her perceived electability, a sentiment that Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged in comments to The New York Times.
Recent polling data indicates El-Sayed is leading the Democratic primary field. He holds 35% support, compared to Stevens at 29.7% and McMorrow at 7.7%, according to the RealClearPolitics polling aggregate. In a hypothetical general election matchup against Republican Mike Rogers, El-Sayed holds a narrow lead of 0.5 percentage points, the same margin by which Stevens is projected to perform in a similar matchup.
Democrats aim to flip four Senate seats to regain control of the chamber, and losing Michigan would represent a significant setback to this objective.
"AOC has spent her career taking on the powerful on behalf of everyday people, and she has shown all of us what courageous, smart, values-driven leadership looks like," El-Sayed stated on X in response to Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement. "I’m deeply honored to earn her endorsement. Onward to victory."