Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Abdul El‑Sayed, a physician and former public health director, in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat.

The primary to replace Senator Gary Peters has drawn attention as a contest between candidates with differing levels of establishment support. El‑Sayed, who also has the backing of Senator Bernie Sanders, leads recent polling, while his main opponents include Representative Haley Stevens, who has received support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and State Senator Mallory McMorrow, who has received endorsements from Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Ocasio-Cortez said the race is existential for the Democratic Party and that El‑Sayed offers the best chance of victory. She made the endorsement during an interview with The New York Times. El‑Sayed’s platform includes proposals to ban tax incentives for large companies, impose higher taxes on billionaires, eliminate medical debt and strengthen antitrust enforcement, as well as ending unconditional military aid to Israel. He previously ran for governor in 2018 and lost to Democrat Gretchen Whitmer. The endorsement marks Ocasio-Cortez’s first in a competitive Senate primary this election cycle. In November, the Democratic nominee is expected to face former Republican Representative Mike Rogers, who previously ran for Senate in 2024 and lost to Elissa Slotkin by a narrow margin.

The primary result will influence Democratic strategies to retain Senate seats and to gain control of the upper chamber in the upcoming midterm elections.