In a stunning turn of events during the final stretch of the election cycle, Representative Haley Stevens has crossed party lines to endorse Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. The decision follows a public and bitter fallout between Stevens and the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed. Appearing together at a Detroit church on Sunday, Stevens told supporters via social media that after being told she was no longer welcome in El-Sayed’s campaign, she decided to throw her weight behind the GOP challenger instead.
The friction between the two Democrats began when Stevens urged El-Sayed to condemn an outside advertisement that linked U.S. military aid to Israel with the rising cost of groceries, a move she described as antisemitic. While El-Sayed distanced himself from the ad and stated he disagreed with its content, he accused Stevens of trying to relitigate a primary race that concluded months ago. Tensions peaked when El-Sayed reportedly requested that Stevens steer clear of remaining campaign events to avoid distracting from core policy issues.
Mike Rogers wasted no time embracing the endorsement, praising Stevens as a courageous leader who has handled herself with class despite her primary loss. He specifically lauded her willingness to speak out regarding the concerns of Michigan’s Jewish voters, framing her defection as a testament to El-Sayed’s inability to unite his own party just days before voters head to the polls on Tuesday.
Establishment Democrats have scrambled to contain the damage, insisting that their support for El-Sayed remains unshaken. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the drama by focusing on the contrast between El-Sayed’s platform and Rogers’ ties to Donald Trump. Similarly, Representative Debbie Dingell suggested that Stevens was merely seeking attention and urged Michigan voters to ignore the internal strife and focus on electing Democrats across the board to ensure economic affordability for working families.
