Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez transfers $1 million to Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has transferred $1 million to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund to support Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive Democratic nominee for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat. The contribution, directed to a joint account involving El-Sayed’s campaign, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the Michigan Democratic Party, is noted as an unusually large sum for a House member to provide to a Senate race outside her own state.

Ocasio-Cortez has been campaigning alongside El-Sayed in Michigan, including traveling through the Upper Peninsula to reach conservative-leaning areas. She stated her intent to combat “smears aimed at Abdul” and emphasized her commitment to progressive priorities. The Michigan Senate race, which features El-Sayed against Republican former Representative Mike Rogers, is considered a pivotal contest that could influence control of the U.S. Senate.

El-Sayed, a physician, secured the Democratic nomination after a primary contest against Representative Haley Stevens. The race has drawn attention as a test of whether progressive candidates can compete effectively in purple states. Additionally, Ocasio-Cortez is scheduled to participate in a town hall event in Portland as part of her broader efforts to rally communities ahead of the upcoming elections.