Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has come to the rescue of Abdul El-Sayed.
The firebrand leftist has dumped $1 million into helping El-Sayed's effort to keep a Michigan U.S. Senate seat blue against Republican Mike Rogers. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) did not seek re-election in 2026.
'I look forward to working with Abdul ... to build a politics that is free from the corrupting influence of corporate money.'
It's the latest sign that Democrats are worried that the race is too close in the final weeks of the campaign.
"I'm not waking up on November 4 wishing I did more to combat the smears aimed at Abdul," AOC said in a statement to the New York Times. "I'm leaving everything I can on the field."
The Times indicated it was an unusually large donation from a member of the House to support a U.S. Senate candidate.
Winning in Michigan is key to Democrats' hopes to retake control of the Senate from Republicans.
It may also be another example of Ocasio-Cortez trying to raise her national profile in anticipation of a possible presidential run in 2028.
AOC joined El-Sayed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Thursday. She also previously campaigned for El-Sayed in the Senate primary and when he ran for governor. Both El-Sayed and Ocasio-Cortez are considered to be in the extreme socialist fringe of the Democratic Party.
She raised $4.7 million in the third quarter, according to her financial filings, and has $17.4 million in cash going into October.
"Once he’s in Washington, I look forward to working with Abdul to guarantee health care as a human right for all Americans and to build a politics that is free from the corrupting influence of corporate money," she said, according to USA Today.
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El-Sayed's victory over Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary was seen as a victory for the far-left fringe against the establishment of the party. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York had backed Stevens, who lost by a narrow margin.
In recent polling for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, Ocasio-Cortez was tied with Pete Buttigieg in third place with 9%.
El-Sayed has a slim lead over Rogers, according to Blaze News' Poll Watch.
Michigan Senate polls 2026: El-Sayed vs. Rogers
Michigan Senate polls 2026: El-Sayed vs. Rogerspollwatch.theblaze.com
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