Lansing — State Sen. Mallory McMorrow dropped out of Michigan’s high-stakes U.S. Senate race Sunday, leaving a one-on-one battle with 30 days to go before the Aug. 4 Democratic primary election.
McMorrow of Royal Oak informed multiple supporters of her decision earlier Sunday, according to two sources with knowledge of the development who were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Her departure effectively made it a two-candidate primary contest between U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham and former Wayne County health chief Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor.
McMorrow’s campaign released a video and a statement after The Detroit News reported her decision, which came as El-Sayed has gained some momentum in polling and Stevens has benefited from millions of dollars in TV advertising.
“Today, I’m announcing that I am suspending my campaign for United States Senate,” she said. “And I’m doing it with a deep, deep sense of gratitude. For our thousands of volunteers, for everyone who donated what you could — building a campaign with zero corporate PAC dollars.
“For my staff, who built this team up from nothing. I thank you.”
McMorrow has served in the state Senate since the beginning of 2019. She has been viewed as a rising star in Democratic politics but struggled to find a lane between Stevens, whom many establishment Democrats have backed, and El-Sayed, who’s been a favorite among progressives.
Stevens released a statement shortly after the news broke, saying: “Anyone who raises their hand to serve the people of Michigan and puts forward thoughtful ideas for how they would lead earns my respect. Mallory McMorrow has been an important voice, both in this race and in the State Senate, for policies that benefit Michigan’s children and families, and I look forward to working with her in the future to build a stronger Michigan for everyone.”
In his own message, El-Sayed thanked McMorrow, her family, her staff and her supporters.
“The same party insiders she had the courage to challenge have been bullying anyone who opposes their chosen candidate,” El-Sayed wrote on X. “I welcome her supporters to our movement to stand up against money in politics, to put money back in pockets, and pass Medicare for All.
“We cannot allow the establishment to decide our nominee for us.”
The news of the primary field narrowing comes two days before the Democratic Senate hopefuls were set to debate on WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids in a statewide televised debate. McMorrow’s name will remain on ballots for the Aug. 4 primary since the ballots have already been printed and distributed to regular absentee voters.
Michigan Democrats will closely watch whether she endorses either Stevens or El-Sayed in the future. Her support could be seen as pivotal in the hotly contested race.
McMorrow’s departure further defines the two lanes of the race with Stevens in the establishment lane and El-Sayed in the progressive lane, said Michael Radtke, a Democratic political consultant and Sterling Heights City Council member.
“From a strategic standpoint, it helps Haley Stevens,” Radtke said. “But from a meta standpoint, I think Abdul is going to win this race.”
Radtke, who hasn’t endorsed in the race, said El-Sayed speaks with clarity and Democratic voters are mad going into the Aug. 4 primary.
John Sellek, a consultant and the CEO of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs in Michigan, said theoretically, McMorrow’s exit should help Stevens. However, Sellek said, El Sayed “has displayed the most energy, momentum and natural social media talent.”
“And that’s what Republicans are counting on,” Sellek said.
Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democratic state official in Michigan, endorsed Stevens after McMorrow announced she was suspending her campaign.
“Representative Haley Stevens is a seasoned fighter for Michigan who knows how to work in a difficult environment to get essential policies across the finish line,” Nessel wrote on Facebook. “She has the proven ability to work with members in DC and in our local communities to create laws that enhance the lives of everyday Michiganders.”
The winner of the August primary will likely face Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake Township in the November general election in what’s expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races in the country.
Greg Manz, senior communications adviser for the Michigan Republican Party, said Michigan’s Senate Democrat primary had “shifted from a three-car pileup to a head-on collision.”
“As the two remaining Marxist radicals race to outpace each other to the extreme left, Mike Rogers is focused on the issues that matter most to Michiganders; for example, housing affordability,” Manz said.
From the other side of the aisle, Curtis Hertel, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, labeled McMorrow “an amazing public servant and leader.”
“Mallory’s campaign might be ending, but her fight isn’t,” Hertel said. “Michiganders will support their candidates in the primary, and then, we will all come together to elect Democrats up and down the ballot — and I know Mallory will help lead us forward in that effort.”
- Mallory McMorrow ends her U.S. Senate campaign - July 5, 2026
- Trump blends history, military, politics: 7 takeaways from the 250th - July 5, 2026
- Beat the heat on Michigan’s cool trails - July 3, 2026
