Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is throwing her support behind a pair of progressive Senate hopefuls, endorsing Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-MI) and Graham Platner (D-ME) in two closely watched Democratic primaries.
Warren framed both candidates as economic populists prepared to take on corporate power and advocates of working-class families.
“For generations now, working families have been squeezed by out-of-control costs like housing and child care, and it’s time to elect a Democrat with a backbone like Mallory,” Warren said Wednesday while endorsing McMorrow in a statement to the Hill.
In Maine, Warren struck a similar tone, calling Plante a candidate who would “support Maine and then actually deliver change for working people in the Senate.”
“He’s a combat veteran, an oyster farmer, and has inspired people with his populist agenda for a government on the side of working families — not the billionaires and giant corporations,” she added.
McMorrow enters a crowded field in Michigan to replace sitting Sen. Gary Peter (D-MI), facing Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director.
Warren becomes the fourth Democratic senator to endorse McMorrow, joining Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
In Maine, Warren’s endorsement provides a boost to Platner as he faces a primary against political veteran Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) for the chance to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November.
Platner, 41, a military veteran and oyster farmer, has cast himself as a political outsider, in contrast to Mills, a longtime figure in Maine politics.
His campaign, though, has been mired by controversy following the resurfacing of sexist comments he made on the internet more than a decade ago.
The posts included comments suggesting women should avoid situations that could lead to sexual assault, drawing sharp backlash.
Mills’s campaign seized on the remarks in a recent attack ad featuring Maine women reacting to the comments. “That’s a horrible thing to say,” one says, while another calls them “disqualifying.”
“Graham Platner: The closer you look, the worse it gets,” the narrator concluded.
MAINE SENATE HOPEFUL GRAHAM PLATNER RESPONDS TO ATTACK AD OVER PAST SEXIST COMMENTS
“These are words and statements I abhor,” he said in a response ad, which aired shortly after the attack. “Maine, I’m asking you not to judge me for the worst thing I said on the internet on my worst day 14 years ago.”
Despite the scrutiny, Graham has secured backing from prominent Democrats, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).