LANSING — Progressives can win in a politically purple state like Michigan, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued Sunday as they campaigned in Michigan for US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed — and railed against the Democratic establishment.
The left-wing favorites rallied an enthusiastic crowd at the Lansing Center in Michigan's capital city, where voters will help decide a pivotal election that has become a litmus test for the Democratic Party’s direction.
The stop was among a trio of weekend rallies Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders held for El-Sayed in Michigan, where absentee ballots are already out and early in-person voting will begin next weekend ahead of the Aug. 4 primary.
Here are four takeaways from the Lansing event:
Countering electability arguments
In speeches touting progressive aims like universal health care and taxing billionaires, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez tried to counter arguments El-Sayed cannot beat Republican Mike Rogers in November, or that US Rep. Haley Stevens is the safer choice for Democratic primary voters.
"If you want to win a general election, we've gotta show that we're not in cahoots with the people hurting us," Ocasio-Cortez said, bemoaning corporate and other outside spending in the race.
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at the Lansing Convention Center in Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Ella Miller/Bridge Michigan) "I believe, Michiganders, that Democrats, Republicans, and independents believe that good leadership swings for the fences for the working class in this country,” added the US representative from New York.
El-Sayed, in championing his own merits as a Democratic candidate, was critical of the party establishment and leaders who “like to pretend that they’re worried that I might not win.”
“The real worry is that I might actually win,” he said.
Railing on corporate, PAC cash
Underpinning all of the policy messages championed by progressives: an indictment of the tens of millions in corporate campaign spending and outside money benefiting Stevens.
Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders and El-Sayed each claimed that special interests had already spent $50 million to boost Stevens in the race.
“Do you think that … is an act of charity? We know how this works,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “They’re expecting a return.”
Bridge was not able to immediately verify the $50 million figure, but federal disclosures make clear that Stevens has benefited from overwhelmingly lopsided support by outside groups. They’ve combined to spend more than $34 million supporting her or attacking El-Sayed and have likely reserved additional advertising not yet reflected in official filings.
The United Democracy Project, which is backed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, reported Friday it has now spent $19.6 million to boost Stevens. A newly formed super PAC called A Stronger Michigan, which has not yet been required to disclose its donors, has spent more than $13 million to benefit Stevens.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at the Lansing Convention Center in Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Ella Miller/Bridge Michigan) “There is a reason why the whole country is watching this race — in fact, people all over the world are watching what’s happening here in the state of Michigan,” said Sanders, who also campaigned with El-Sayed in May.
In a Thursday interview with Bridge Michigan, Sanders argued there’s more at stake than the ideological debate between the Democratic Party’s moderate and progressive factions.
“We should not have an election in which billionaire super PACs have enormous influence,” he said. “If they get away with it in Michigan, it will spread all over this country, and that is the undermining of American democracy.”
Asked about Sanders’ characterization of the race during a Friday campaign stop in Farmington, Stevens told reporters she doesn’t remember seeing Sanders while working on the Obama administration’s auto task force and defended her record as an effective lawmaker.
“With all due respect to Mr. Sanders, I think this race is about my love and commitment to the state of Michigan and my eagerness to stand up for us at the lawmaking table,” she said. “I'm here to solve problems for the people of Michigan.”
‘Radical’ policies, ‘explosive diarrhea’
Speaking to the crowd Sunday, Sanders rhetorically asked what frightens El-Sayed’s opponents enough to spend millions of dollars opposing his candidacy.
“I don’t want you to fall off of your chairs, because what I’m going to tell you has been described by some of our Republican colleagues as communistic,” Sanders said before listing off some of his and El-Sayed’s shared policy priorities: a “Medicare for All” health care system, wealth taxes on billionaires, standing up to Big Tech and stopping any US aid to Israel that supports military efforts.
“I don’t want people having heart attacks here, pretty radical stuff,” he quipped.
Supporters cheer for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) as he takes the stage during a campaign rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at the Lansing Convention Center in Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Ella Miller/Bridge Michigan) Sanders referred to El-Sayed, who holds both a medical degree and doctorate in public health, as a “physician” when referencing his support of overhauling the US health care system. That characterization was previously criticized by former Democratic opponent Mallory McMorrow because El-Sayed is not licensed to treat patients.
For his part, El-Sayed referenced some of the public health issues currently plaguing Michigan as proof the Senate could use someone with direct public health experience in order to challenge the Trump administration. El-Sayed previously worked as a public health director in both Detroit and Wayne County.
https://www.tiktok.com/@bridge.michigan/video/7664403343820721422?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7591928401788864055 “I don’t know if I’ve heard the words ‘explosive diarrhea’ said more times” than in recent weeks, El-Sayed said, referencing the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak. “You can barely breathe the air, the toilets are having a rough time, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that RFK Jr. is health secretary.”
In statements responding to the progressive rallies, Republicans and conservative-leaning groups were quick to portray El-Sayed and his supporters as far-left extremists who are out of step with the average Michigan resident.
Greg Manz, senior communications advisor to the Michigan Republican Party, suggested they were “leading the communist cavalry charge for a full-blown takeover” of the Democratic Party.
Hunter Lovell, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, claimed Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez were “parachuting into Michigan” as part of a plan to “remake America into a socialist hell-hole.”
Predictions of a progressive wave
During stops in both Detroit and Lansing, Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and El-Sayed rallied with US House hopefuls similarly trying to score progressive victories in Michigan.
Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats need a majority in both the House and Senate to build a “firewall” against the Trump administration. But she advocated for a “durable majority” able to move past the party’s mistakes and acknowledge the needs of voters.
William Lawrence, an East Lansing native and environmental activist, is running in a competitive three-way primary with former US ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL and Obama military aide Matt Maasdam. Slotkin recently endorsed Maasdam in the primary race, whose winner will face sitting US Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, in November.
U.S. Congress candidate William Lawrence gives a speech during a campaign rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at the Lansing Convention Center in Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Lawrence is running as a Democrat to represent Michigan's 7th Congressional District. (Ella Miller/Bridge Michigan) Lawrence on Sunday proclaimed that he’s the frontrunner in the Lansing-area primary and has the advantage of “people power,” expressing confidence that he’s best poised to win over independents and take on Barrett in what’s expected to be one of the closest general elections in the country.
On the campaign trail, he’s opposed data centers and called for stopping “stupid wars” while redirecting federal spending toward affordable housing and health care.
“People are ready for change, and they're voting for change all over the country,” Lawrence told Bridge Michigan. “And I do believe that they're going to vote for change here in Michigan in August and in November.”
State Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Detroit, similarly joined forces with progressives in Detroit in the hopes of toppling Democratic incumbent US Rep. Shri Thanedar, who’s currently serving his second term in Congress.
Sanders has reportedly endorsed more than 90 candidates this cycle — and rankled some establishment Democrats in the process. CNN reported Sunday that US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries recently confronted Sanders and warned him not to meddle in House primaries.
Ocasio-Cortez has been more selective in her endorsements. Michigan’s race is the only contested US Senate primary she’s weighed in on.
This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan (bridgemi.com), a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. To get regular coverage from Bridge Michigan, sign up for a free Bridge Michigan newsletter here.
This article first appeared on Bridge Michigan and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
