Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow announced Sunday that she is suspending her campaign for the U.S. Senate, ending her bid for the Democratic nomination and setting up a two-way primary between Rep. Haley Stevens and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
In a statement posted on X, accompanied with a video, McMorrow thanked supporters who helped build "a campaign with zero corporate PAC dollars" and emphasized that her withdrawal does not mark the end of her political involvement. "I may be suspending this campaign, but I am not leaving the fight," she wrote.
McMorrow reflected on entering politics after the 2016 election, recalling that she searched online for "How to run for office." She credited grassroots organizing with helping Democrats flip the Michigan Senate for the first time in nearly four decades and highlighted legislative achievements including repealing the state's abortion ban, raising wages, expanding voting rights and providing free school meals.
While reiterating her calls for "new leadership and a better Democratic Party," McMorrow said the focus now should shift to the general election. She pledged to support whichever Democrat wins the Aug. 4 primary, writing: "Whoever wins this primary on August 4th will have my full support." She also urged Democrats to elect Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson as governor, flip the Michigan House and expand their majority in the state Senate.
McMorrow did not endorse either remaining candidate, leaving Stevens, who is backed by much of the Democratic establishment, and El-Sayed, a progressive endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to compete in what has become a closely watched contest reflecting broader ideological divisions within the party.
Today, I'm announcing that I am suspending my campaign for United States Senate.
— Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) July 5, 2026
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,… pic.twitter.com/nGVymlpPXm
Her departure comes after polls showed her trailing both rivals in a race was shaped by tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, much of it supporting Stevens, as The Guardian reports. El-Sayed has argued that Democratic voters should reject what he describes as establishment influence, while Stevens has framed herself as the strongest candidate to defeat Republican Mike Rogers in November.
McMorrow concluded her announcement by reaffirming her commitment to public service. "I love this country. I love Michigan," she wrote. "That's who I'm fighting for. And I'm not going anywhere."
