LANSING, MI - U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, endorsed democratic governor candidate Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan governor's race.

"I'm proud to endorse Dr. Abdul El-Sayed for Governor of Michigan. As governor, Dr. El-Sayed will fight for a government in Lansing that represents all the people, and not just wealthy special interests. Under Abdul's leadership Michigan can help lead the nation in guaranteeing health care for all through a Medicare for All single-payer type system, tuition free public colleges and universities, a minimum wage of $15 per hour and strong environmental protections," Sanders said in a statement Wednesday night.

El-Sayed, who has embraced Sanders' ideas like single-payer health care and free college in his campaign, said in a statement he was honored to have Sanders' endorsement.

"I am honored and humbled to have the support of Senator Sanders in this race. Bernie Sanders is one of the country's most important political leaders and the progressive standard-bearer, and I'm thankful that the Senator has recognized that there is only one progressive running for Governor of Michigan," El-Sayed said.

Sanders ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. He bested Hillary Clinton 49.68 to 48.26 percent in a surprise upset in Michigan's March 2016 presidential primary, but ultimately lost the nomination nationally.

Both El-Sayed and democratic candidate Shri Thanedar have positioned themselves as progressive candidates like Sanders. Thanedar recently posted a photo of himself with Sanders and showed up when Sanders came to Lansing in February.

But El-Sayed has locked down endorsements from national players like Sanders, the group Our Revolution and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive who upset an incumbent Democratic congressman in a New York primary.

El-Sayed is running in the democratic primary for governor, which takes place on Aug. 7. The other Democrats running are Thanedar and Gretchen Whitmer. The Republican primary, also Aug. 7, includes Bill Schuette, Brian Calley, Patrick Colbeck and Jim Hines. The general election takes place Nov. 6.