Article courtesy of MIRS for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
The largest and one of the most influential labor unions in Michigan, the United Auto Workers (UAW), announced its support for progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the competitive U.S. Senate race.
Representing 300,000 active and retired Michigan members, the UAW said El-Sayed has rallied with “laid-off UAW workers at Cleveland Cliffs, marched with UAW Local 600 members, met with workers in communities hollowed out by outsourcing and traveled the state listening directly to union members about the challenges facing Michigan.”
El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, has made labor issues a central part of his campaign. His campaign said he has been a member of several unions, including AFT locals, SEIU Local 500, the National Writers Union and the American Association of University Professors.
“I am deeply honored and proud to have earned the support of the UAW,” El-Sayed said. “Michigan union autoworkers built the American middle class and proved that when people stand together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish. Unlike campaigns powered by corporate PAC money, AIPAC, and Washington insiders, our campaign is built alongside workers and union members.
“Together, we’re going to take on corporate greed, rebuild an economy that works for working people, strengthen collective bargaining, and ensure that the future of Michigan manufacturing is built right here by union workers. Solidarity forever.”
The news comes on top of a new internal poll released by El-Sayed supporters which shows the former Wayne County health director holding his biggest lead in the primary race to date. The survey, conducted by Tulchin Research, found El-Sayed at 41%, followed by U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) at 23% and Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) at 18%.
The poll was commissioned by a newly formed progressive coalition preparing to back El-Sayed’s candidacy. The group is led by Hannah Fertig, who previously worked on presidential campaigns for Bernie Sanders and JD Vance, and longtime Michigan political operative Connor Farell.
Tulchin Research is a well-known Democratic polling firm.
The UAW endorsement drew criticism from Republicans, who framed the move as a sign of division within the Democratic primary.
Michigan Republican Party Senior Communications Advisor Greg Manz called the endorsement “a stunning rebuke of (U.S. Rep.) Haley Stevens and the Democrat establishment,” saying Democrats are facing a “messy and divisive primary.”
“This endorsement confirms what many Democrats have feared for months: Abdul El-Sayed’s radical agenda is gaining traction inside a party that continues its lurch to the left,” Manz said.
Manz also criticized El-Sayed’s support for Medicare for All and climate policies, saying they would threaten union jobs and Michigan’s auto industry. He contrasted El-Sayed with Republican Mike Rogers, who Manz said is focused on lowering costs, strengthening the economy and “delivering results for working families.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) also weighed in, saying the endorsement showed El-Sayed’s campaign had momentum.
NRSC Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell said the UAW had “snubbed” Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) and Stevens, pointing to McMorrow’s past comments about beekeeping and Stevens’ role as chief of staff for Obama’s U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force.
“Telling autoworkers to take up beekeeping or supporting job-killing EV mandates will continue to haunt Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens in this race,” Cantrell said. “Abdul El-Sayed’s momentum cannot be underestimated, and Republicans will fight tirelessly to make sure his radical agenda stalls out in November.”
Click here for more News & Resources.