Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow has suspended her campaign for US Senate.
In a video announcing her decision Sunday, McMorrow highlighted some of her and her colleague’s accomplishments in the Michigan legislature.
“We repealed Michigan’s abortion ban. We raised wages. We made sure every child gets breakfast and lunch at school. We made it easier to go to college. We expanded civil rights, voting rights and so, so much more,” McMorrow said.
While McMorrow was not forthcoming her reasons for suspending her campaign, funding might have been an issue. She made rejecting corporate PAC money one of the key tenets of her platform.
Those kinds of PACs have spent heavily on Congresswoman Haley Stevens, with millions of dollars in ad-buys before McMorrow ever aired her first commercial. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is running a campaign to the left of McMorrow and has also abstained from taking PAC money.
Former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers is the only Republican running in his party's primary.
Even though McMorrow is leaving the race, she said she will not leave the “fight.”
“So, here’s what we do next,” McMorrow said. “Every day through November 3, we win this Senate seat, and we send Mike Rogers back to Florida for good. Whoever wins this primary on August 4 will have my full support.”
Reactions from remaining candidates
During campaign stops in Lansing Monday, Stevens complimented McMorrow on delivering major accomplishments as a state legislator.
“Mallory McMorrow’s campaign inspired me, you know, she made me a better candidate, and I am bringing and welcoming in some of the ideas that she put forward, that she championed, alongside her supporters."
She also raised concerns about Republican spending in the primary.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has launched ads highlighting Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' endorsement of the other Democrat in the race, El-Sayed.
The Congresswoman says airing the ad during the primary is meant to boost El-Sayed’s campaign with progressive voters.
“They think that they can get Mike Rogers to flip the seat, to take over this U.S. Senate seat, by propping up his campaign. That is unfortunate, and they know that when I’m the Democratic nominee, I’m going to be able to eat Mike Rogers’ breakfast and lunch on economic issues.”
Meanwhile, El-Sayed said people who are unhappy with corporate money in politics should consider his campaign.
“The reality of it is that $30 million of AIPAC spending that came in to drown out Senator McMorrow’s voice, that’s coming in an even uglier way against me,” El-Sayed said. “So, I’m hoping that folks who supported Senator McMorrow wants to make sure that we have a voice in our politics.”
The Michigan Republican Party called both Stevens and El-Sayed “Marxist radicals,” asserting that Rogers will hold the future primary winner “accountable” for “turning their backs on Michigan’s families.”
What happens next?
Stevens and El-Sayed will face each other in a debate at Grand Rapids on Tuesday.
Mail-in ballots were already delivered, meaning McMorrow’s name still appears. People who have already voted and wish to spoil their ballot may do so at their local clerk’s office.
Sophia Valchine contributed to this report.