314 Action, a group that supports scientifically educated candidates for elected office, is endorsing Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a staunch progressive, in his bid for Senate in Michigan. The endorsement marks a dramatic shift for the group, which has been previously tarred in Democratic politics for its ties to pro-Israel donors.
314 Action was founded in 2016 in reaction to President Donald Trump and the Republicans’ refusal to acknowledge scientific phenomena like human-caused climate change and the GOP’s anti-science posture. But the group became increasingly politically relevant in 2020, when it began endorsing congressional candidates and shaming Republicans for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Four years later, 314 Action became a subject of controversy after The Intercept reported that it was acting as a front for pro-Israel donors in a congressional race in Portland, Oregon. Campaign finance disclosures later revealed that major donors to the group included former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a conservative Democrat, and investor Robert Granierim, both of whom are vocal supporters of Israel and American support for Israel.
Recent campaign finance records show the 314 Action Fund received $2.9 million from Bloomberg this year, but no donations from Granierim.
By supporting El-Sayed in his primary campaign against Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., 314 Action is making a statement; Stevens is a stalwart advocate of United States support for Israel. The endorsement may come with some financial support, with the group saying it has raised some $25 million to fund its goal of electing more doctors and nurses to office between now and 2030.
“I’m proud to have 314 Action’s support in this fight and I look forward to working with them in Congress,” El-Sayed said about the endorsement. “I never planned on getting into politics, but when I realized that our healthcare system set Americans up to fail, I had to make a change. The reality is that too many working families are facing impossible decisions that are sometimes life or death. Michiganders deserve better.”
