The AAUP endorsed a U.S. Senate candidate for the first time in its 111-year history, backing Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic primary. The endorsement arrives after AAUP members approved resolutions pushing the association into broader electoral and political organizing. AAUP President Todd Wolfson framed the move as a recognition that national politics are intertwined with the academic-freedom and collective bargaining issues the organization has long prioritized. But longtime members and critics raised concerns that the association could come to be seen as aligned with one political ideology. AAUP spokesperson Kelly Robinson said the endorsement is expected to be part of an ongoing pattern. The episode signals heightened labor and governance involvement in national elections as faculty unions navigate growing pressure over academic freedom, research, and campus climate issues.