AOC endorses Abdul el Sayed in Michigan primary as anti-establishment momentum grows

Published July 2, 2026 7:42am ET | Updated July 2, 2026 12:59pm ET



Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) endorsed leftist Democrat Abdul el Sayed in his campaign to be Michigan’s next U.S. senator on Thursday.

Ocasio-Cortez’s backing of el Sayed comes after a swing of several midterm election primaries showed momentum growing against the Democratic establishment, with voters in states such as New York and Colorado picking either socialist or anti-establishment challengers over mainstream Democrats. The move also bucks the primary goals of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), whose preferred candidate in the Michigan Senate race is the more centrist Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI).

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