Rep. Haley Stevens endorses Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race

Democratic Representative Haley Stevens has endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, breaking with her party just days before the midterm election.

Stevens, a sitting congresswoman who lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed, appeared alongside Rogers at the Perfecting church in Detroit on Sunday. According to the BBC, Stevens had been scheduled to attend a unity event with El-Sayed that same day, but she claimed El-Sayed made it clear she was not welcome in his campaign. In a video posted to X, Stevens stated that she did not belong in El-Sayed's campaign and accused the Democratic nominee of spreading hate.

The endorsement has triggered significant backlash within the Democratic Party. The Guardian reported that several members of Stevens' own staff, including her chief of staff Justin German and her communications director, resigned in response to her decision. German released a statement on behalf of the campaign team endorsing El-Sayed and expressing shock over the congresswoman's move. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel called the decision a betrayal, arguing that Stevens had abandoned her values to support a candidate loyal to Donald Trump.

Tensions between the two former primary rivals reportedly centered on disagreements regarding support for Israel. The BBC noted that Stevens had recently demanded El-Sayed denounce a liberal group's advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel to high consumer prices. While El-Sayed criticized the ad and denied any involvement with it, the public feud continued to escalate until Stevens' surprise appearance with Rogers.

Rogers welcomed the endorsement, praising Stevens for showing courage. Meanwhile, El-Sayed told reporters he was focusing on the problems facing Michiganders and dismissed the endorsement, stating that "none of this matters." National figures also weighed in, with Senator Bernie Sanders posting on X that Stevens' staff were right to resign and criticizing Stevens for what he described as a "fragile ego."

Background

The Michigan Senate race is for a seat currently held by a retiring Democrat. While Michigan voted for Joe Biden in 2020, it shifted to Donald Trump in 2024, making this contest one of a handful of battleground races that will determine control of the Senate.