Haley Stevens Breaks With Democrats, Endorses Mike Rogers Amid Michigan Senate Turmoil
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Rep. Haley Stevens backed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers after a public clash with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who had asked her to stay out of campaign events, further exposing deep fractures in Michigan’s closely watched Senate race.
Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat from Michigan, publicly endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, a striking and deeply unsettling turn in the competitive Senate race. Stevens announced her decision in a video, stating, "Hey, Michigan, as you may have seen, 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."
This endorsement followed a very public dispute between Stevens and El-Sayed, after he criticized an outside ad that Stevens described as antisemitic. In response, El-Sayed accused Stevens of trying to drag an already finished primary back into the spotlight, three months after it concluded. The feud has raised concerns among Democrats that personal drama could distract from the tightly contested race to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
In her endorsement, Stevens stressed her opposition to El-Sayed's association with Hasan Piker, stating, "I do not stand with Hasan Piker, who gets trafficked on our college campuses." She insisted she remains a Democrat, even as she chose to back a Republican candidate. After her announcement, Curtis Hertel, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, said Stevens is no longer a member of the party.
Rogers thanked Stevens for her support and framed the moment as part of a broader fight against hatred. He said, "This is more a statement about standing together against hate and the future of this state and this country than it is anything else."
El-Sayed, speaking to reporters later, said he was focused on the wider electorate and dismissed the controversy, saying, "I actually don’t think about Haley Stevens." He added that Michigan deserves better from its government.
President Donald Trump praised Stevens for her endorsement, calling her "brave" and suggesting she might join the Republican Party. Stevens’ decision triggered resignations in her congressional office, including that of her chief of staff, who said he was disappointed. Democratic backlash was swift, with party figures sharply condemning Stevens, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, who urged voters to support El-Sayed.