# Mallory McMorrow **Mallory McMorrow** is a Michigan state senator from suburban Oakland County running in the 2026 Democratic primary for the open U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring [[Gary Peters]]. She rose to national prominence in 2022 with her viral floor speech ("I am the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme … you are not going to out-hate me") rebutting a Republican colleague's "groomer" smear — a moment that became a template for Democrats answering culture-war attacks head-on. She runs as a "progressive brand but suburban-electable" figure. ## 2026 Senate race See [[MI-Sen-2026]] for full race context. **WITHDREW July 5, 2026**: dropped out of the primary but remained on the Aug 4 ballot, drawing ~4%. On election night she endorsed winner [[Abdul El-Sayed]] ("I'm proud to give Abdul my full endorsement and support as we head to November together as a unified party"). Pre-withdrawal indicators: - **Polling**: 24% in the Emerson/WOOD-TV poll (April 11–13, 2026), tied with [[Abdul El-Sayed]] and well ahead of [[Haley Stevens]] (13%). - **Fundraising**: The field's top fundraiser — ~$3.0M raised and ~$3.7M cash on hand in Q1 2026, leading the Democratic field on cash. - Her bet is that a suburban-electability message plus small-dollar national enthusiasm can beat both the movement-left (El-Sayed) and the establishment-moderate (Stevens) lanes. The nominee, [[Abdul El-Sayed]], faces Republican [[Mike Rogers (Michigan)]] in November. ## Background Former product and brand designer turned state legislator; flipped a suburban Detroit district and built a national fundraising and media profile after the 2022 speech. Author of a 2024 book on countering bad-faith political attacks. ## Why she matters for the KB McMorrow is the clearest example of a Democrat who built national standing specifically by confronting right-wing rhetorical tactics (the "groomer" panic) rather than ignoring them. Her primary tests whether that brand of confident culture-war rebuttal converts into statewide nominating support. ## Related - [[MI-Sen-2026]] - [[Abdul El-Sayed]] - [[Haley Stevens]] - [[Mike Rogers (Michigan)]] - [[Gary Peters]]