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It’s been a little more than a week since the election. And politicians are doing what any politician would do: prepping for the next election cycle.
Actually, the preparation, and Michigan’s role in it, started long before the 2026 Midterms, when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) approved Michigan to be the fifth state to hold a primary before Super Tuesday.
Other early-primary states include South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, and New Mexico, with primaries before Michigan, and Virginia, with a primary after Michigan.
This placement incites presidential hopefuls to start building relationships with Michiganders, elected officials, key unions, and other stakeholders well before announcing a campaign.
Essentially, being fifth in the primary line adds power to Michigan's already important status as a swing state that could make (or break) a blue wall.
And visit politicians did. The list includes, but isn’t limited to:
- California Governor Gavin Newsom, who campaigned with Senator-Elect Abdul El-Sayed in August
- Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who stumped with Representative-Elect Sean McCann and Governor-Elect Jocelyn Benson
- New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who also campaigned with El-Sayed
It’s important to remember that these political appearances were meant to support Michigan’s 2026 candidates, and don’t necessarily prove a desire for presidential candidacies. However, taken together, they show Michigan is already attracting attention from potential contenders.
Habibi PAC
Adding to Michigan’s influence over the election in 2028, El-Sayed has formed a new leadership political action committee (PAC), named Habibi PAC.
This type of PAC is unique in that it is specifically used to raise money for other candidates, for federal or nonfederal offices.
As Michigan Public’s Zena Issa reported, political commentators view the launch of the PAC “as a classic strategic move to help El-Sayed build influence within the Democratic Party and position himself as a key player ahead of the 2028 presidential election cycle.”
In other words, El-Sayed’s position as a Senator from a swing state has the potential to bring heightened attention to his political footprint and messaging. The leadership PAC allows him, through the candidates it supports, to put money around his campaign’s main talking points.
But, that doesn’t mean people aren’t watching already. Neil Thanedar, executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN), pointed out to Issa that El-Sayed’s use of a PAC is a deviation from his stance on accepting PAC money during his campaign.
"It will be interesting to see who the donors are for this PAC and where the money goes, because Abdul El-Sayed has talked numerous times about not wanting to accept corporate PAC money and other special interest funding," Thanedar said.
Taken together, El-Sayed’s new PAC and his relationships with nationally prominent Democrats could make him an influential figure beyond Michigan in the lead-up to 2028.
Though, his success as a progressive candidate in a competitive state raises an interesting question for Democrats: Could his campaign offer a model for winning other battleground states in 2028?
Only time will tell. But with Michigan positioned to vote early in the Democratic presidential primary, Michiganders won’t just have a say in who wins the White House, they’ll also have an early say in who gets a shot at it.
And if the last election cycle is any indication, we’ll be seeing plenty more of the presidential hopefuls before then.
ICYMI
➡️Ohio Representative-Elect Don Leonard said, in a social video, that "senior Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives threatened to make his time in Congress ‘a living hell’ if he doesn't support Hakeem Jeffries' bid to become U.S. Speaker of the House.” Read WOSU’s George Shillcock’s full story.
What I’m watching: In reaction, social media influencers have begun encouraging Michigan’s freshman delegation to not support Jeffries. Essentially saying the people have your back, even if leadership doesn’t.
➡️Bridge Michigan recently interviewed incoming Michigan House Speaker Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) on his priorities for his new position. He’ll replace outgoing House Speaker Matt Hall.
What I’m watching: I'm curious if Puri will come up with an acronym that trumps the Hall Ethics, Accountability, and Transparency (HEAT) Plan.
Until next time,
Kalloli Bhatt, Digital Content Producer
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Have questions about Michigan politics? Or, just want to let us know what you want more of (less of?) in the newsletter? We always want to hear from you! Shoot us an email at politics@michiganpublic.org!
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