AOC transfers $1m to Michigan candidate El-Sayed in progressive push

Progressive stalwart, who is seen as potential 2028 candidate, says she wants to combat ‘smears’ against El-Sayed. Save Share United States Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has transferred $1m to support Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, in a major progressive push for the upstart politician. Ocasio-Cortez, who has become a progressive stalwart since her surprise 2018 congressional victory, confirmed the donation in a statement on Friday and a speech in Michigan. The transfer was first reported by the New York Times. The lawmaker pointed to political attacks against El-Sayed, a large portion of which havefocusedon his Muslim faith, his Egyptian heritage and support for Palestine. “I’m not waking up on November 4th wishing I did more to combat the smears aimed at Abdul,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement, in reference to the November 3 congressional midterm election. “I’m leaving everything I can on the field.” Speaking at an event in the Detroit area, Ocasio added that she transferred the money from her own campaign to show “the cavalry is coming”. “And the only reason I’m doing that is because I see the energy of each and every one of you stepping up to make an effort,” she said. The move comes as Ocasio-Cortez has been campaigning for El-Sayed in Michigan, joining him on a bus tour of the conservative-leaning Upper Peninsula area before hosting three events on Friday in the state’s largest city, Detroit. El Sayed’s populist progressive message has gained traction with voters in the state, where he currently leads Republican Mike Rogers by 2.6 percentage points, according to a Real Clear Politics average of high-quality polls. The support from Ocasio Cortez, who is weighing a potential 2028 presidential candidacy, also underscores a wider effort by progressives to court disaffected Trump voters. The pair highlighted economic issues while on the trail in the midwestern state. Trump’s approval ratings are at a career low ahead of the midterm vote. A slate of recent polls has shown widespread public disapproval of Trump’s handling of the US economy and the knock-on effects of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Recent polls have also shown an appetite for a more comprehensive change in US government, signalling a potential opening for candidates running outside of the establishment of both major parties....