Warren gets endorsements from 45 Michigan officeholders, activists

Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) presidential campaign on Wednesday released a list of 45 endorsements from Michigan officeholders and activists.  

The Massachusetts progressive has obtained the backing from seven current Democratic members of the state legislature, making up more than 10 percent of the Democrats in the state’s House and Senate.

She also has bagged the support of U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D) and former U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D). 

“I’m grateful to have the support of longtime progressive champions who have fought to make Michigan a better place for working families,” Warren said in a statement. “We’re in this fight to create big, structural change — and that means building a movement that makes our country work for everyone.”

The Democratic state representatives that have publicly backed Warren are Sen. Mallory McMorrow, Sen. Stephanie Chang, Sen. Rosemary Bayer, Rep. Rebekah Warren, Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, Rep. Jim Ellison and Rep. Bill Sowerby.

“Our next president must rebuild the path toward opportunity, equity, and justice – for all of us,” Chang said in a release. “Elizabeth Warren has what it takes to boldly take on our toughest social, economic and environmental justice challenges. She is the best candidate to move us forward on the arc toward justice.

Other officeholders and activists supporting the presidential candidate include Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, Macomb County Commissioner Robert Mijac, Macomb County Commissioner Elizabeth Lucido and Lonnie Scott, who heads the liberal group Progress Michigan.

Scott told The Detroit News that Warren and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have put the most effort in the potential battleground state. 

Warren’s announcement comes 41 days before the March 10 primary in the state and days ahead of the Iowa caucuses next week. 

In the 2016 Democratic race, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) won Michigan over Hillary Clinton. He has the support of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud. 

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has thrown his support behind former Vice President Joe Biden. 

Trump won Michigan in the general election in 2016 by a narrow margin, in an unexpected win that helped get him the presidency.