Politics
Ocasio‑Cortez Donates $1 Million to Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El‑Sayed
U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez transferred $1 million to support Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed, a move she described as a way to counter political attacks against him. Ocasio‑Cortez, who has become a progressive stalwart since her 2018 congressional victory, confirmed the donation in a statement on Friday and during a speech in the Detroit area. She said the money came from her own campaign and that she was doing so to show that “the cavalry is coming.” The transfer was first reported by the New York Times.
Ocasio‑Cortez noted that El‑Sayed has faced smears focusing on his Muslim faith, Egyptian heritage and support for Palestine. She added that she was “not waking up on November 4th wishing I did more to combat the smears aimed at Abdul.” The donation comes as she has been campaigning for El‑Sayed, joining him on a bus tour of the conservative‑leaning Upper Peninsula and hosting three events in Detroit.
El‑Sayed’s populist progressive message has gained traction in Michigan, where he currently leads Republican Mike Rogers by 2.6 percentage points, according to a Real Clear Politics average of high‑quality polls. The support from Ocasio‑Cortez, who is weighing a potential 2028 presidential candidacy, also reflects a broader progressive effort to appeal to disaffected Trump voters.
During the tour, Ocasio‑Cortez and El‑Sayed highlighted economic issues. Trump’s approval ratings are at a career low ahead of the midterm vote, and recent polls show widespread public disapproval of his handling of the U.S. economy and the effects of the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran. An AP‑NORC poll released this week found that 80 percent of respondents said they supported either a “complete and total upheaval” or “substantial change” in how the country is run.
Progressive House Representative Ayanna Pressley, speaking alongside Ocasio‑Cortez on Friday, urged the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to make “an equitable investment in progressive and diverse candidates” such as El‑Sayed, Florida Senate candidate Angie Nixon and Mississippi Senate candidate Scott Colom.
El‑Sayed received an early endorsement from progressive U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who donated $250,000 to his campaign. He has also recently been embraced by a handful of more centrist Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The new financial support from Ocasio‑Cortez, which was given to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund, arrived as the Michigan Senate race has become one of the most expensive in the state’s history, topping $268 million as of October 15, according to the Detroit Free Press. El‑Sayed outpaced Rogers in fundraising from July 1 to September 30, bringing in $30.6 million compared to Rogers’ $9.6 million. However, Rogers’ campaign had more cash on hand as of September 30, with $6.5 million compared to El‑Sayed’s $3.8 million. Michigan is among the key Senate races that could determine control of the chamber for the final two years of U.S. President Donald Trump’s term, when Republicans hold 53 seats in the 100‑member body.