Michigan Senate candidate McMorrow faces backlash over beer-throwing remark about Supreme Court justices

A Michigan Senate candidate is facing sharp backlash after a video resurfaced showing her saying there would be beers thrown if she encountered conservative Supreme Court justices at a tailgate. Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat campaigning in the state’s high-stakes Senate primary, made the remarks last month while addressing supporters at a local event. In the clip, she noted that she graduated from Notre Dame, the same university as Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and described a hypothetical encounter with Barrett and Justice Brett Kavanaugh at a tailgate.

“I would not be able to control myself,” McMorrow said in the footage. “It would be bad. There would be beers thrown in people’s faces.” The remarks resurfaced publicly on November 12 and immediately drew backlash from conservatives and others who characterized them as evidence of violence in the Democratic ranks. The clip circulated across social media and was amplified by some conservative commentators. Former Indiana congressman David M. McIntosh reposted the video, and other right-leaning voices argued that McMorrow’s comments reflected a broader culture of hostility toward Supreme Court justices among some Democrats.

McMorrow’s remarks add to ongoing scrutiny of rhetoric in Michigan’s Senate race. The candidate, 39, has framed herself as a progressive voice with “a backbone,” and previously served in the Michigan State Senate from 2019 to 2023. Her campaign materials describe her as a Democrat who champions bold policy changes. She is also the author of the book “Hate Won’t Win: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better than You Found It.”

News of the resurfaced comments comes amid other episodes that have stirred controversy around McMorrow’s public appearances. In October, she headlined a unity dinner organized by local Democrats that featured a sign reading “MAGA=NAZI.” A separate sign displayed the numbers “86 47,” a reference cited by critics as an explicit wish to throw out the 47th president, Donald Trump. The Daily Mail reported on those events and noted that McMorrow’s campaign and supporters faced online criticism as well as questions about temperament.

The response to the video has crossed party lines in some cases and sharpened the national conversation about political rhetoric and violence. Conservative outlets and commentators seized on the remarks to argue that Democratic candidates are more prone to endorsing or tolerating aggressive tactics against ideological opponents, while some Democrats and observers argued the remarks were hyperbolic or miscontextualized in the heat of a public event.

Political analysts and commentators have pointed to past episodes of heated language on both sides. In 2020, then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer drew criticism for telling protesters he would “pay the price” for advocating to revoke abortion rights, a remark cited by critics as emblematic of heightened rhetoric surrounding the Supreme Court. Some commenters have argued that rhetoric around the Court has grown more incendiary in recent years, contributing to a tense environment for lawmakers who navigate delicate constitutional issues.

Among supporters and voters, reactions have been mixed. Some critics characterized McMorrow as unstable or unfit for office based on the resurfaced remarks, while others urged caution in weighing a single moment against a broader record of public service. McMorrow’s campaign did not immediately provide a detailed public response to the new coverage, and the Daily Mail reported that the outlet had sought comment from her team.

The episode unfolds as Michigan’s Senate race remains closely watched as a bellwether contest in a year of national political realignments. The outcome could hinge on voter views of temperament, policy proposals, and the broader climate of political discourse across the United States. As campaigns continue to roll out contrasting messages about economic, health, and judicial issues, observers say the focus will likely remain on how candidates handle controversy, respond to criticism, and articulate their commitments to governance in a polarized environment.

(Note: The coverage of this incident relies on reporting from Daily Mail and other outlets cited in the material provided.)