US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has transferred $1 million to support Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a major progressive push on behalf of the relatively new political figure. She confirmed the donation in a statement on Friday and during a speech in Michigan.
The transfer was first reported by a national newspaper. Ocasio-Cortez has become a leading voice on the progressive wing of American politics since her surprise victory in a 2018 congressional race.
Ocasio-Cortez responds to attacks on El-Sayed
Ocasio-Cortez said many of the political attacks against El-Sayed have focused on his Muslim faith, his Egyptian heritage and his support for Palestine. She said in a statement that she did not want to wake up on November 4 wishing she had done more to combat “the smears aimed at Abdul.” She added that she was “leaving everything I can on the field.”
Speaking at an event in the Detroit area, she said she moved the money from her own campaign to show that “the cavalry is coming.” She said the decision was driven by the energy she saw from supporters who were stepping up to make an effort.
The move comes as Ocasio-Cortez has been campaigning for El-Sayed in Michigan. She joined him on a bus tour of the Upper Peninsula, an area described as conservative-leaning, and was set to host three events in Detroit, the state’s largest city, on Friday.
Michigan Senate race sees record spending and tight polling
El-Sayed’s populist progressive message has gained traction with voters in the state. According to a polling average of high-quality surveys, he leads Republican Mike Rogers by 2.6 percentage points.
Local press reports said the Michigan Senate race has become one of the most expensive in the state’s history, topping $268 million as of October 15. Ocasio-Cortez’s contribution was given to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund.
El-Sayed outpaced Rogers in fundraising between July 1 and September 30, bringing in $30.6 million compared with Rogers’ $9.6 million. Rogers’ campaign still had more cash on hand as of September 30, with $6.5 million compared with El-Sayed’s $3.8 million.
Progressives court disaffected voters and party backing
The support from Ocasio-Cortez, who is weighing a potential 2028 presidential run, also reflects a wider progressive effort to win over disaffected Trump voters. During their campaigning in the Midwestern state, the pair highlighted economic issues.
Trump’s approval ratings are at a career low ahead of the midterm vote, according to recent polls. Many of those polls show widespread disapproval of his handling of the US economy and the knock-on effects of the US-Israeli war on Iran. A recent AP-NORC poll found that 80 percent of respondents supported either a “complete and total upheaval” or “substantial change” in how the country is run.
Also speaking on Friday, progressive House Representative Ayanna Pressley called on the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to make “an equitable investment in progressive and diverse candidates.” She named El-Sayed, Florida Senate candidate Angie Nixon and Mississippi Senate candidate Scott Colom as examples.
El-Sayed received an early endorsement from progressive US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and has recently been embraced by more centrist Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris. One report said Sanders donated $250,000 to his campaign.
Michigan is among the key Senate races that could determine which party controls the chamber for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. Republicans currently hold 53 of the 100 seats.
