McMorrow, El-Sayed Gain Ground on Stevens in Michigan Senate Primary Fundraising
State Senator Mallory McMorrow and Abdul El-Sayed both outpaced Rep. Haley Stevens in Q1 fundraising, shaking up the Michigan Democratic Senate primary race.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN — State Senator Mallory McMorrow and former health official Abdul El-Sayed both outpaced sitting U.S. Representative Haley Stevens in first quarter fundraising for the Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate primary, according to newly released campaign finance reports.
The fundraising figures suggest growing momentum for McMorrow and El-Sayed as the race accelerates toward the August primary election. Stevens, who faced challenges at the April 19 Michigan Democratic Party spring endorsement convention, maintains the strongest cash position among the three candidates but showed weaker fundraising performance in the first three months of 2026.
Stevens Still Leads Despite Q1 Struggles
Despite being outraised by her opponents in the first quarter, Stevens retains advantages as the race develops. The incumbent congresswoman continues to hold the most cash on hand among the three major Democratic candidates vying for the Senate seat.
Adrian Hemond with the Grassroots Midwest consulting firm said all three candidates remain viable. “The sitting member of Congress is going to have more institutional donors and fewer small dollar donors,” Hemond told Michigan Advance. “The two candidates that are social media stars are going to raise more money online through small dollar donors.”
Shifting Dynamics in Three-Way Race
McMorrow, a state senator from Royal Oak, and El-Sayed, a former health official from Ann Arbor, have both demonstrated strong small-dollar fundraising capabilities that could position them to continue outpacing Stevens as the campaign intensifies.
Hemond noted that while McMorrow appears to have momentum, El-Sayed has positioned himself to potentially claim second place in the race. “Fundamentally, I think Stevens is still the favorite, but I’d say a little less favorite than she was before,” he said.
The political consultant emphasized that the fundamental dynamics remain largely unchanged, with each candidate maintaining competitive positions and significant numbers of undecided voters still available to both campaigns.
Road to August Primary
The first quarter fundraising reports provide the clearest picture yet of the financial strength each candidate brings to the final months before the August Democratic primary. Stevens’ difficulties at the recent state party convention, combined with the strong fundraising performances by McMorrow and El-Sayed, suggest a more competitive race than initially anticipated.
The three candidates are competing for the Democratic nomination to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate. The winner will face the Republican nominee in the November general election for what political observers consider a key seat in determining control of the Senate.
As the candidates prepare for the final stretch before the August primary, their fundraising capabilities will prove essential for voter outreach, advertising, and ground operations across Michigan’s diverse electoral landscape.
