Democratic leaders delay action as Haley Stevens’ endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers ignites outrage
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Rep. Haley Stevens is facing intense backlash from fellow Democrats and progressive groups after endorsing Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, with House Democratic leaders postponing any disciplinary decision until after the midterm elections.
House Democratic leaders have put off any decision on disciplinary action against Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., after she publicly threw her support behind Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race. The endorsement, announced on Nov. 1, landed just two days before the midterm elections and immediately sparked anger from Democratic lawmakers who say her move undercut the party at a critical moment and have demanded her removal from the House Democratic caucus.
Democratic officials, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the caucus would discuss the proper response after the elections. Jeffries told POLITICO that Stevens “made a terrible decision, blindsided everyone and isolated herself from the House Democratic caucus.” A senior Democratic aide said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., is likely to back Jeffries’ response.
Stevens, a four-term congresswoman who will leave Congress at the end of the year after narrowly losing the Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, has also drawn heavy criticism from Michigan Democrats. State Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel posted on X that Stevens is no longer a member of the Michigan Democratic Party. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said she was stunned by the endorsement and noted that Stevens had previously assured her she would not support Rogers.
Other members of Congress, including Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., have joined the call for Stevens’ removal, describing the endorsement as a betrayal of the party and its voters. The IfNotNow movement, a progressive organization, issued a statement urging Jeffries to expel Stevens from the caucus and strip her committee assignments.
If expelled, Stevens would lose access to caucus meetings in the Capitol and could face additional action involving her committee roles, depending on House rules. Attempts to reach Stevens’ office for comment received an automated reply saying her communications director was no longer with the office as of Nov. 1.