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Harris joins forces with radical Senate nominee in key swing state as 2028 whispers swirl
By Leo Briceno
Published September 17, 2026
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to join Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed at an upcoming roundtable in Michigan, according to his campaign.
The two will appear at a Black maternal health roundtable next Tuesday, raising questions about whether Harris might be trying to court the progressive wing of the party in preparation for a 2028 presidential run.
"I’m just really looking forward to having her here, and she is somebody who so many folks in communities like Detroit look up to as an inspirational leader," El-Sayed told Politico in an interview on Wednesday.
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, left, pictured alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris, right. (Emily Elconin/Getty Images; Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
"I’m grateful that she’s coming in and having conversations about what it takes to get the turnout up, so that we can get on to working on some of these issues in the U.S. Senate," he continued.
The scheduled roundtable comes after Harris endorsed El-Sayed last month, praising his stance on issues like affordability.
"Dr. Abdul El-Sayed understands the power is with the people, and that the stakes couldn’t be higher in this election. While Michiganders struggle to afford everyday essentials — housing, gas, groceries, health care and child care — Trump and Republicans in Congress are giving away $1 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthy and powerful," Harris wrote.
"Abdul knows that we need bold solutions to the crises facing America’s working families and he is ready to take on this fight," Harris continued. "I proudly stand with him to ensure we win a Democratic Senate majority in Nov."
The news of Harris' upcoming visit to Michigan comes as The Detroit News, a prominent Michigan newspaper, endorsed El-Sayed's Republican rival, Mike Rogers, for Senate on Wednesday.
"Mike Rogers is the prototype of a United States Senator," the paper said in its endorsement, referencing his 14 years in the House, Army career, and private sector experience dealing with cybersecurity.
On the other hand, the paper skewered El-Sayed for his radical rhetoric, saying he "has worked so hard covering his tracks leading up to this Senate race that it's impossible to know who he really is or where he would stand in the Senate."
"He has deleted social media posts that reportedly called into question his attitude about America in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He's taken down roughly 100 YouTube videos that paint an unflattering picture of him and his cultural views," the paper concluded. "A candidate who feels the need to hide his past from voters is not someone who can be trusted to be the same person after Election Day as he was on the campaign trail."
In addition to Harris' visit, El-Sayed is expected to have a busy final stretch of his campaign before the November election as he attends multiple fundraisers in California and New York.
In late September, El-Sayed is scheduled to attend a Hollywood fundraiser at the home of George Soros' nephew, Jeffrey Soros, who is a movie producer. In addition to Soros and his wife, the host committee includes several Obama alums, including Crooked Media's "Pod Save America" hosts Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau. Ben Rhodes, the failed architect of Obama's Iran deal, is also on the host committee.
El-Sayed will also be visiting San Francisco during this West Coast swing.
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Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, leaves the stage after speaking during the Michigan Democratic Party's 2026 nominating convention in Lansing, Michigan, on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. Since scoring a surprise victory in the Michigan Democratic primary, progressive Senate candidate El-Sayed is trying to push toward the middle to reach the more moderate electorate in a must-win state for the party in November. (Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Next month, El-Sayed will also be going to New York City to attend a fundraiser hosted by several far-left activists, where the price to attend ranges from $250 to $57,800.
Harris’ endorsement of El-Sayed marks just her second major progressive candidate endorsement in the 2026 midterms. She is also supporting Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee in Maine who is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Before the midterms, Harris also supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was also DSA-endorsed, but only stated that she "supported the Democrat in the race."
For his own part, El-Sayed has rejected terms like "progressive" and "moderate" and is not backed by the DSA.
But like Mamdani, El-Sayed has made affordability — and the role of government — key pieces of his campaign. In addition to calling for lowering housing costs, he’s advocated for Medicare for All, opposes corporate tax carve-outs, and he supports tuition-free access to higher education.
Harris has also received support from El-Sayed in the past.
Notably, after now-former President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election, El-Sayed called on the party to rally behind Harris, citing her "potential" for leadership.
"Considering all the dangers of the Republican nominee … it’s time for all of us to unite behind Kamala Harris to defeat Trump," El-Sayed wrote in a post in July 2024.
DEMOCRATS WHO ‘NEVER VOTED REPUBLICAN’ BACK ROGERS OVER EL-SAYED IN RAZOR-CLOSE RACE
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, speaks at the Michigan Democratic Nominating Convention in Lansing, Mich., on Aug. 29, 2026. (Anadolu via Getty Images)
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El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on whether El-Sayed might support Harris if she decided to run for the White House in 2028.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/harris-joins-forces-with-radical-senate-nominee-key-swing-state-2028-whispers-swirl