Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic Michigan state senator, suspended her U.S. Senate primary campaign on Sunday, declining to endorse either remaining rival in the must-win seat for Democrats in November.

Her announcement, coming just one month before a nominee is chosen to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, leaves a two-way contest between one candidate backed by the party’s establishment, the other by its left flank.

“Today, I’m announcing that I am suspending my campaign for United States Senate. And I’m doing it with a deep, deep sense of gratitude,” McMorrow, who had positioned herself as a pragmatist, said in a video posted to X. She did not give a reason for her surprise decision.

The remaining candidates are Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official who has been endorsed by progressive rock stars Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

When asked if McMorrow would endorse before the Aug. 4th primary, her campaign said, “No. She trusts the voters of Michigan to pick their nominees. And she’s going to campaign for all of them this fall.”

Holding the seat is crucial to the Democratic Party’s chances of retaking control of the Senate in the November midterms.

Both McMorrow’s Democratic opponents spoke highly of her.

“Mallory McMorrow has been an important voice, both in this race and in the State Senate, for policies that benefit Michigan’s children and families, and I look forward to working with her in the future to build a stronger Michigan for everyone,” Stevens said.

El-Sayed, who has been the Democratic primary frontrunner in polling so far, aligned himself with McMorrow, saying she “showed what it looks like to fight back against a politics that rigs the system against too many of us.”

The winner will face prospective Republican nominee Mike Rogers, who narrowly lost to Peters in 2024.

Shawna Thomas and Emily Gold contributed to this report.

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