Haley Stevens Breaks with Democrats and Backs GOP Candidate Mike Rogers as Party Rift Deepens
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Democratic Representative Haley Stevens has openly sided with Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers after a bitter clash with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, exposing the party's internal fractures and the failure of its leaders to hold a unified pro-working-class line.
Democratic Representative Haley Stevens has publicly endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, pointing to a rupture with her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, and underscoring the growing dysfunction inside the Democratic coalition. In a video posted on social media, Stevens said, "Our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he's right. And that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today."
Stevens, who narrowly lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, announced her endorsement during an appearance with Rogers at a Detroit church. The move came after Stevens demanded that El-Sayed denounce an advertisement tying U.S. military aid to Israel to rising grocery prices, a message she called antisemitic. El-Sayed responded by saying Stevens was dragging a finished primary back into the headlines three months after it ended, while also making clear that he did not create the ad and disagreed with its message.
Rogers praised Stevens for her leadership and said he respected the concerns she raised on behalf of Michigan Jewish voters. As tensions continued, Stevens was reportedly told not to attend the remaining campaign events for El-Sayed, who insisted the campaign should be focused on the issues that actually affect Michigan voters rather than on internal political feuds.
Even with Stevens' endorsement of Rogers, prominent Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, reiterated their support for El-Sayed, arguing that he would fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan. Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell also emphasized the need to focus on electing Democrats, saying Michiganders want leaders concentrated on improving their lives rather than on spectacle and division.