Michigan Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday, two days before voters decide a closely contested US Senate race. Her decision deepened a public dispute with the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, after Stevens lost the party’s Senate primary.
Stevens appeared with Rogers after attending a church service alongside the Republican candidate. She had been scheduled to join El-Sayed at a campaign event intended to show party unity. According to reports, El-Sayed asked her not to attend.
Stevens says she was unwelcome on the campaign
Speaking to reporters outside the church, Stevens said El-Sayed had made clear that he did not want her involved. She said she had been told she was not welcome and that he did not need her there.
In a video posted to X, Stevens said she did not belong in El-Sayed’s campaign. She also criticized what she described as the Democratic nominee’s approach, saying, “Who we are as Michiganders is not hate.” She then announced her support for Rogers.
The dispute had intensified over an advertisement from an outside liberal group. Stevens had called on El-Sayed to condemn the ad, which linked US support for Israel with high prices. El-Sayed criticized the advertisement and said he was not involved in its content.
Party leaders condemn the endorsement
Several Democrats criticized Stevens for backing the Republican candidate so close to Election Day. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the endorsement “a despicable betrayal.” Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel said Stevens had abandoned the values she claimed to support.
Many of Stevens’ staff reportedly resigned after her announcement. Some Democrats in Detroit also expressed disappointment. A student interviewed by the BBC described the move as a betrayal, while another voter suggested Stevens might have been frustrated with her party.
Not all voters who support Rogers expected the endorsement to change the contest. Marissa Lee, a Rogers supporter, told the BBC she did not think Stevens would persuade voters to change their minds.
Rogers welcomed the backing, describing it as an act of “courage.” President Donald Trump also praised Stevens at a campaign rally in Iowa and said he would like her to join the Republican Party. Trump said he had never met her.
Michigan contest could affect Senate control
Analysts consider the Michigan race one of the tightest contests in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The Senate seat is held by a retiring Democrat, and a Republican has not won it since 1994. Michigan has also swung between parties in recent presidential elections: it voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and Donald Trump in 2024.
Democrats are seeking to regain control of the Senate and need a net gain of four seats. If they lose the Michigan seat, they would need to flip five seats elsewhere. The primary fight between Stevens and El-Sayed has also exposed divisions within the party ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
Reid Bentley