LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Democrats will decide their U.S. Senate nominee in less than two weeks, but if campaign fundraising is any indication, plenty of the financial enthusiasm is coming from somewhere else.

A campaign email from Abdul El-Sayed on Wednesday, July 22, reported that during the second quarter of 2026 (April 1 through June 30), his campaign received 176,367 ActBlue donations, but only 49,503 came from Michigan donors – about 28% of the total.

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His opponent, Haley Stevens, showed a similar pattern, with 23,880 of her 90,556 ActBlue donations coming from Michigan, or roughly 26%. In other words, according to the figures reported by El-Sayed’s campaign, more than seven out of every 10 donations to both candidates during the second quarter originated outside the Great Lakes State.

The email touts El-Sayed’s fundraising advantage over Stevens, noting he raised $4.5 million in the second quarter compared to her $2.1 million. But it also quietly underscores that both campaigns are relying heavily on donors far beyond Michigan’s borders.

Bipartisan fundraising trend.

Republicans aren’t much different though. Unchallenged GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers also relies heavily on out-of-state donors. Federal Election Commission data for the 2025-2026 cycle shows that 84.36% of his individual donations came from outside Michigan, with Georgia accounting for the largest share.

These numbers are not unusual in today’s nationalized political landscape, especially in competitive Senate races. Still, for candidates asking Michigan voters to send them to Washington, it’s fair to note that much of the financial cheering section appears to live somewhere else.