Mallory McMorrow dropped out of the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan on Sunday, narrowing the field to two as the party faces a crucial choice next month in picking a nominee to defend a must-win seat. That leaves Rep.

Haley Stevens facing Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate running from the Bernie Sanders wing of the party who is trying to extend the momentum progressives have seen in recent primaries across the country. McMorrow’s exit ahead of the early August primary doesn’t just reflect her own struggles, but also an emphasis among many Democrats to stop El-Sayed, out of fear he would be a weaker general election candidate against GOP former Rep.

Mike Rogers. Republicans hope to flip the seat and bolster the party’s efforts to retain the majority in the Senate.

Few Democrats believe they have a path to taking the majority without holding onto the open seat, which is held by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

McMorrow, the majority whip of the state Senate, first came to national attention with a viral 2022 speech taking on a Republican colleague for accusations of grooming. She was also featured as a speaker at the 2024 Democratic convention in Chicago.

She entered the race with significant attention and support, bulked up by her social media presence. That didn’t just attract endorsements in state, but also by national figures in the Democratic Party like Massachusetts Sen.

Elizabeth Warren, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy and former Vermont Gov.

Howard Dean. But McMorrow’s campaign struggles to build support in the splintered field were so clear that she had been hounded for weeks with rumors that she’d drop out.

This story is breaking and will be updated.