Ocasio-Cortez sends $1 million to boost El-Sayed's Michigan Senate bid
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is moving $1 million from her own campaign to help Abdul El-Sayed win a Senate seat in Michigan, Al Jazeera and the New York Post reported. The money will go to a fund that backs his race. El-Sayed, a Democrat, faces Republican Mike Rogers in November.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is moving $1 million from her own campaign to support Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, Al Jazeera and the New York Post reported. The money is going to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund, the outlets reported.
"I will be transferring from our campaign in New York one million dollars to the state of Michigan to help support you all," Ocasio-Cortez said Thursday at an event in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, according to the New York Post. She confirmed the transfer in a statement on Friday, Al Jazeera reported. "I'm not waking up on November 4th wishing I did more to combat the smears aimed at Abdul," she said in the statement. The transfer was first reported by The New York Times, Al Jazeera reported.
The fund is a joint fundraising committee with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, the Post reported. Ocasio-Cortez has more than $17 million in cash in her main campaign committee, the Post reported.
El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers, a former House Intelligence Committee chairman, the Post reported. El-Sayed leads Rogers by 2.6 points in a RealClearPolitics polling average, Al Jazeera reported. Attacks on El-Sayed have largely focused on his Muslim faith, his Egyptian heritage and his support for Palestine, Al Jazeera reported.
El-Sayed raised $30.6 million from July through September, compared with $9.6 million for Rogers, but Rogers had more cash on hand at the end of September, Al Jazeera reported. The race has topped $268 million in spending, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Detroit Free Press. Senator Bernie Sanders has donated $250,000 to El-Sayed's campaign, Al Jazeera reported, citing CNN.
Former President Barack Obama has endorsed El-Sayed and plans a rally with him in Detroit later this month, the Post reported. Republicans hold 53 of the 100 Senate seats, Al Jazeera and the Post reported.
What we know: Ocasio-Cortez is sending $1 million to a fund supporting El-Sayed's Senate campaign.
What we don't: How the money will be spent, and whether it will shift a close race.
Where outlets agree Al Jazeera and the New York Post report that Ocasio-Cortez is moving $1 million from her campaign to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund to support El-Sayed.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.