Just two days before the midterm elections, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democratic congresswoman from Michigan, publicly endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers in the state's tightly contested U.S. Senate race. The move came after an escalating feud with her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated Stevens in the Democratic primary earlier this year. Stevens made an unexpected appearance alongside Rogers outside a church service on Sunday before releasing a video formally backing the Republican contender.
In a video shared on X shortly after her appearance with Rogers, Stevens criticized the direction of the Democratic campaign in Michigan. "I don't belong in Abdul's campaign," she stated. "Who we are as Michiganders is not hate and is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now." She concluded her statement by declaring, "That's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers."
Stevens had originally been scheduled to join El-Sayed at a Sunday event intended to display party unity. However, El-Sayed reportedly requested that she not attend, prompting Stevens to join Rogers at a church service instead. Speaking to reporters alongside Rogers outside the church, Stevens explained her decision, noting that the Senate election is extremely close. "Abdul made clear that I was not welcome in his campaign, that he didn't need me there, that he didn't want me there," she said.
When asked about the endorsement on Sunday, El-Sayed dismissed the decision, maintaining that his focus remained on the issues facing Michigan residents. "At the end of the day, I don't think about Haley Stevens," El-Sayed told reporters, adding that "none of this matters." The public dispute between the two politicians had intensified in recent days, with Stevens urging El-Sayed to publicly denounce a campaign advertisement produced by an outside liberal group that linked U.S. support for Israel to high consumer prices. El-Sayed criticized the commercial and stated he had no connection to its contents. Over the weekend, several Michigan Democratic politicians had called on Stevens to cease the public feud and directly support the party's candidates.
Stevens' decision to break party lines sparked swift backlash across the Democratic Party. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer characterized the endorsement as a "despicable betrayal." In Michigan, Curtis Hertel, chair of the state's Democratic Party, issued a statement condemning her move. Hertel asserted that her decision "shows that she has abandoned everything she claims to care about," adding that party officials "reject the attempts by Stevens and bad-faith actors to divide our party and undermine our momentum." Additionally, multiple members of Stevens' congressional staff reportedly tendered their resignations immediately following her endorsement announcement.
Meanwhile, Republican leaders welcomed the unexpected endorsement. Speaking briefly to reporters, Rogers praised Stevens, saying her decision displayed "courage." Former President Donald Trump also praised Stevens during a campaign rally in Iowa, describing her as "very brave." Trump admitted he had never met the congresswoman but noted, "Haley said what few people were willing to say," before adding that he would "love her to join the Republican Party actually."
Reactions among voters in downtown Detroit were mixed following Sunday's developments. Summer Lawrence, a 21-year-old student, expressed deep disappointment, saying, "I just genuinely don't understand it. I do think it's a betrayal of the party because the things she stands for are not the same things that he stands for as a Republican." Another voter, Matthew Barera, suggested, "Maybe she had frustrations with the party." Meanwhile, Marissa Lee, a voter supporting Rogers, questioned whether the endorsement would influence many voters. "People can see right through her actions, you know? She's just angry," Lee observed, adding, "She is not going to make anybody change their mind."
The conflict between Stevens and El-Sayed highlights broader ideological divisions within the Democratic Party as it looks toward the 2028 presidential election. Stevens represents the party's centrist wing and received the endorsement of high-profile Democrats, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, during the primary. In contrast, El-Sayed, a former public health official and the son of Egyptian immigrants, represents the party's progressive left wing. His campaign has drawn support by tapping into grassroots dissatisfaction with Washington politics and U.S. foreign policy regarding Israel.
The Michigan Senate contest is considered by political analysts to be among the closest battleground races in Tuesday's midterm elections, which will determine control of the U.S. Senate. The seat is currently held by a retiring Democrat, with Republicans not having won a Senate election in Michigan since 1994. Although Democrats currently hold the seat, Michigan remains a key presidential swing state, having voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and Donald Trump in 2024. Democrats are aiming to regain control of the Senate, which requires a net gain of four seats; a loss in Michigan would force the party to flip five seats elsewhere to secure a majority.
