Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens endorses Republican Mike Rogers, sparking criticism over fiancé's influence

Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan announced on Sunday that she would no longer endorse Democratic primary winner Abdul El-Sayed, instead supporting Republican nominee Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate. The endorsement shift, made after Stevens appeared with Rogers and her fiancé Jason Turkish at a Detroit church, ignited anger among Democrats who allege Turkish has exerted undue influence over Stevens.

"Jason is vaporizing Haley’s future so that he can be a main character in this moment and it is sad to watch her participate in that," wrote former Stevens adviser Caitlin Legacki on X.

Stevens responded on X, asserting her independence and rejecting claims that Turkish directed her choice. "My fiancé has his own views. I have mine. I made this decision, and I am proud of it. Do not question my independence simply because you disagree with my conclusion," she wrote.

Turkish, a disability-rights lawyer and managing partner at Nyman Turkish, told CNN that he and Stevens spent "thousands of hours together" and that he did not seek to control her campaign. He described himself as a lifelong Democrat and said his support for Rogers reflected personal disagreement with the Democratic nominee, not party loyalty.

Multiple former campaign staffers described Turkish as overbearing and lacking political instincts, citing incidents where he sent Stevens mock-ing comments from social media and attempted to influence campaign strategy, including fundraising and debate preparation. One aide said Turkish would "wind her up, and then we’d have to wind her down."

Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary by less than one percentage point, acknowledged that her political future may be limited, noting she is no longer listed on the Michigan Democratic Party website and that colleagues are debating her removal from the House Democratic caucus.

Turkish, who is legally blind, has donated more than $200,000 to federal campaigns this cycle, supporting both Democrats and Republicans. He defended his involvement, stating he merely expressed his views and did not intend to diminish Stevens’ autonomy.

The endorsement has drawn criticism from Democratic figures, including former Rep. Susan Wild and University of Michigan regent Jordan Acker, who expressed concern over Turkish’s behavior toward staff and friends. Former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard recounted a dinner where Turkish allegedly pressured Stevens to change her endorsement.

Despite the controversy, Turkish attended a Republican Jewish Coalition event with Rogers and Sen. Ted Cruz, who described him as a "very impressive guy" and noted his continued identification as a Democrat.

Stevens’ office confirmed the engagement to Turkish was announced in August, shortly after her primary loss, and that she plans to complete her term in the House while stepping back from future electoral pursuits.