Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Michigan Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, has endorsed his Republican rival, Mike Rogers, in a striking break from her party's nominee just before the midterm elections. The endorsement came in a video posted to X after Stevens attended an event with Rogers at the predominantly Black Perfecting church in Detroit on Sunday.
A Surprise Endorsement in a Key Race
Stevens, who lost the primary by a close margin, had for months refused to openly back El-Sayed, as had his other opponent, Mallory McMorrow. Top Democrats had brokered a truce between El-Sayed and Stevens, who had sparred fiercely during the primary campaign. Stevens had extended a tepid endorsement to El-Sayed, and this weekend she was scheduled to join him at a predominantly Black church in Detroit's North End.
Those plans unravelled over the issue of Israel, which divided Stevens and El-Sayed perhaps more than any other. Stevens, a staunch supporter of Israel, made clear that her appearance alongside El-Sayed was conditional on his denouncing an outside group's campaign ad that blamed US support of Israel for the rising cost of living. El-Sayed declined the request, accusing Stevens of needlessly reopening debates from a settled primary.
Escalating Tensions and a Disinvitation
As the feud escalated, El-Sayed's campaign formally disinvited Stevens from his campaign events in the closing days of the campaign. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan congresswoman, later told CNN she had been the one to tell Stevens "this isn't working" regarding Stevens' appearance with El-Sayed on Sunday. Dingell added that the tensions between the two were a distraction and that "there's nothing to be gained by the two of them being in the same place".
Earlier on Sunday, Stevens had put out a statement saying she expected El-Sayed to win and telling people to vote. But just hours later, she appeared with Donald Trump's Senate pick and said she supported Rogers' purported future investment in Black businesses.
Fallout and Broader Reactions
Democratic commentators have pointed out that Stevens' fiance, Jason Turkish, has been condemning El-Sayed publicly while supporting Rogers. Turkish, who is also vocally pro-Israel, has donated heavily to Democrats in the past, but this year also donated to Republican candidates including Susan Collins. The endorsement marks a stunning political moment in Michigan, where control of the seat could be crucial to the Democratic party.
