Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow announced Sunday that she is suspending her campaign for the U.S. Senate, a decision that reshapes the Democratic primary in a critical battleground state. Her withdrawal, coming just weeks before the August 5 primary, leaves the race as a contest between moderate Representative Haley Stevens and former Wayne County Health Department Director Abdul El-Sayed.
McMorrow, who had built a national profile as a progressive voice, cited no specific reason for ending her campaign in a video posted on X. She thanked her staff and supporters for building what she described as a grassroots campaign powered by small-dollar donations and free from corporate PAC money. However, her campaign had struggled with lagging poll numbers and fundraising that failed to keep pace with her two main rivals, according to multiple reports. Her name will remain on the ballot because absentee ballots have already been printed and distributed, as noted by Bridge Michigan.
The Democratic nominee will face former Republican Representative Mike Rogers in the general election. Rogers, who lost a close Senate race in 2024 to now-Senator Elissa Slotkin by a razor-thin margin, is widely expected to secure the GOP nomination. The seat is open because retiring Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat, is stepping down, making it a top Republican target. Nonpartisan political handicappers rate the race as a toss-up, and Democrats view it as a must-hold seat in their effort to regain the Senate majority from Republicans, who currently control the chamber 53-47.
In her announcement, McMorrow pledged to support the eventual Democratic nominee. «So here's what we do next. Every day through November 3rd. We win this Senate seat and send Mike Rogers back to Florida for good,» she said. «Whoever wins this primary on August 5th will have my full support.»
Stevens, who is backed by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the party establishment, praised McMorrow as an «important voice» for policies benefiting Michigan families. She argued that she is the strongest candidate to defeat Rogers in November. «As we enter the final month of the primary election, I'm excited to continue to make my case to Michiganders why I'm the strongest Democrat to defeat Mike Rogers this November, lower costs, protect manufacturing jobs, and stand up to Trump's abuses of power,» Stevens said in a statement. Her campaign has benefited from millions in super PAC spending, including contributions from Israel-aligned groups.
El-Sayed, who is endorsed by progressive champions Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, framed McMorrow's departure as a challenge to the political establishment. In a statement, he praised her for having the «courage» to take on what he described as a rigged system, accusing Democratic Party insiders of spending millions to influence the primary. «The same party insiders she had the courage to challenge have been bullying anyone who opposes their chosen candidate,» El-Sayed said. «After spending $30 million to drown Senator McMorrow and me out, they're now spending even more to attack me. It's everything we are standing up against.» He invited McMorrow's supporters to join his progressive movement, which includes calls for Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and a vocal criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which he has characterized as «genocide.»
El-Sayed, an epidemiologist who ran for governor in 2018, would make history as the nation's first Muslim senator if elected. He has vowed not to accept PAC donations and has served as a top surrogate for Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. His candidacy has sparked controversy, with Schumer and party leaders viewing Stevens as more electable. They worry that El-Sayed's left-wing positions could jeopardize the seat in a state that President Donald Trump carried by just over one percentage point in 2024.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) seized on McMorrow's withdrawal to highlight divisions within the Democratic Party. In a statement, the NRSC said, «Bernie Sanders' radical socialist flank is completely taking over the Democrat Party. It is now up to Chuck Schumer to combat Abdul El-Sayed's clear momentum and get Haley Stevens across the finish line.» The race is expected to be one of the most closely watched in the country, with implications for Senate control and the broader political landscape.
