Mallory McMorrow Withdraws from Michigan Senate Primary Race
In a surprise move, state lawmaker Mallory McMorrow has suspended her campaign in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s key U.S. senate race. McMorrow, who had been positioning herself as a moderate candidate between national party leadership favorite Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive challenger Abdul El-Sayed, announced her decision in a social media post.
Source: cdnph.upi.com
McMorrow expressed her gratitude to her thousands of volunteers and donors, who helped build a campaign with zero corporate PAC dollars. Despite suspending her campaign, she emphasized that she is ‘not leaving the fight,’ reiterating her call for ‘new leadership and a better Democratic Party.’
The Michigan senate race is seen as crucial in the Democrats’ efforts to capitalize on President Donald Trump’s unpopularity and flip the Senate from Republican control in November. To achieve this goal, Democrats must maintain control of the ‘blue’ Senate seat, which is being vacated by Democrat Gary Peters.
McMorrow was an early front-runner in the race, having raised over $8.6 million by the end of March. However, she has since fallen behind El-Sayed and Stevens in the polls, according to the Detroit Free Press.
El-Sayed, a former Detroit public health official, has seen a surge of support since May and has gained the backing of progressive stalwarts Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He also won the endorsement of the United Auto Workers last month.
Stevens, a four-term congresswoman, is gaining support from some of McMorrow’s backers, including Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Nessel praised Stevens as ‘a seasoned fighter for Michigan who knows how to work in a difficult environment to get essential policies across the finish line.’
The Aug. 4 primary is now shaping up to be a major test of whether El-Sayed can extend progressives’ winning streak against more establishment figures in Democratic primaries. McMorrow has pledged her support to the winner of the primary, stating that ‘whoever wins this primary on August 4th will have my full support.’
McMorrow’s withdrawal from the race leaves Stevens and El-Sayed as the remaining candidates in the primary. The outcome of the election will have significant implications for the Democrats’ chances of regaining control of the Senate in November.
The Michigan senate primary is one of several key elections taking place across the country in the lead-up to the general election. The outcome of this and other races will have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power in Washington and the direction of American politics.
