Michigan's Democratic Senate primary just got a whole lot spicier, and not in the fun way Democrats were hoping for. State Senator Mallory McMorrow announced on Sunday that she is suspending her campaign for the U.S. Senate nomination, leaving the field to U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and former Wayne County health official Abdul El-Sayed, two candidates who represent wildly different corners of the Democratic tent that are currently on fire.
As The American Tribune reported, the dropout comes amid what can only be described as a Democratic family reunion where nobody agrees on the menu, the venue, or whether Uncle Abdul should be allowed to give the toast.
McMorrow made the announcement on X, and credit where it's due, she gave one heck of a farewell speech. She thanked her volunteers, her staff, her husband Ray, and her five-year-old daughter Noa, who apparently dropped this wisdom nugget on her: "Remember, Mom. It's not about if you win. It's about trying hard and having fun." Honestly, that is better political advice than most consultants give, and she probably charges way less.
McMorrow took time to remind everyone she once Googled "How to run for office" after the 2016 election, which is both endearing and a little terrifying when you think about how many important decisions in this country start with a search bar. She rattled off a list of accomplishments from her time in the Michigan Senate, including repealing the state's abortion ban, raising wages, and expanding school meals. Then she pivoted to pledging full support for whoever wins the August 4th primary, promising to help elect Jocelyn Benson as governor and flip the State House.
But here's where it gets really interesting. McMorrow openly called for "new leadership and a better Democratic Party," which is politician code for "this place is a mess and the people in charge are part of the problem."
El-Sayed, never one to miss an opportunity, swooped into her replies like a seagull spotting an unattended French fry. He praised her fight against "party insiders" and then accused those same insiders of "spending $30 million to drown you and me out" while "bullying anyone who opposes their chosen candidate." He invited her supporters to join his movement for Medicare for All and getting money out of politics. Nothing says grassroots unity quite like two candidates publicly agreeing that the party establishment is the real enemy while the party establishment nervously checks its watch.
For Michigan Republicans eyeing this Senate seat, this is the kind of internal Democratic chaos you just sit back and watch with a bowl of popcorn. The primary is now essentially a showdown between the establishment pick in Stevens and El-Sayed, who is running hard to the left. Whoever survives August 4th gets to face the general electorate in a purple state that does not historically reward candidates who spent their primary season setting their own party on fire.
Good luck to all involved. They are going to need it.
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