In a show of progressive strength, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is hitting the trail in Michigan for campaign stops with Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. She’ll join El-Sayed for town halls in redder, more rural parts of the state’s Upper Peninsula on Thursday.
The El-Sayed campaign is deploying progressives to boost turnout, with Ocasio-Cortez set to hold some events Friday without El-Sayed, including a “Latinos for Abdul” rally in Detroit.
In addition to drawing crowds in support of El-Sayed, the events also offer a testing ground for Ocasio-Cortez’s progressive messaging as she weighs a run for higher office — importantly, in a state that’s now moved to the front of the Democratic presidential primary calendar.
Ocasio-Cortez’s fellow “Squad” member, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., is returning to Michigan for events this weekend, too. Both lawmakers stumped for El-Sayed during the Senate primary.