Haley Stevens backs Michigan Republican Mike Rogers in Senate race
The former primary rival’s surprise endorsement arrives less than two days before Tuesday’s election, triggering a wave of resignations and sharp criticism from top party leaders.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday, a move that shocked Michigan Democrats and sent her top aide resigning just under 48 hours before the general election.
Stevens made the announcement in a video after attending a service at Perfecting Church in Detroit, where she sat in the pews with Rogers and his wife. The event had been planned as a joint gathering for the Senate candidates, but Stevens was removed from the guest list by the campaign of her primary opponent, Abdul El-Sayed.
“Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away,” Stevens said in the video. “And he’s right. And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
The endorsement fractured the party’s unity efforts in a race that could decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Stevens, who lost the August primary to El-Sayed by a narrow margin, had pledged support for her party’s nominee weeks ago. That commitment reversed after a heated exchange over a campaign ad that linked U.S. support for Israel to rising grocery prices.
El-Sayed dismissed the endorsement on Sunday, stating that he is focused on the cost of living and other voter concerns. “At the end of the day I actually don’t think about Haley Stevens,” he told reporters. He added later that “none of this matters.”
Party leaders reacted with immediate disapproval. State Chair Curtis Hertel wrote that Stevens “had abandoned everything she claims to care about” and declared she is no longer a member of the Michigan Democratic Party. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the move a “despicable betrayal” in a social media post.
Stevens’ longtime chief of staff resigned, with several other staff members expected to follow, according to a person familiar with the developments. The aide described the team as “shocked and heartbroken.” Rep. Debbie Dingell, who organized the original church event, said she disinvited Stevens because the tension had become too distracting. Dingell later called the endorsement “one of the most painful interviews I have watched” after seeing Stevens speak on CNN.
More than 1.8 million Michigan voters had already cast ballots by Friday. Early voting began on October 24 and continues through Tuesday. Stevens said in an interview that the decision felt like a “weight off my shoulder” and that she was “being straight with everybody.”
