Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens endorses Republican Mike Rogers over her own party’s Senate nominee, fracturing Michigan Democrats days before the midterm

Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed on Sunday, days before the midterm election. She announced the move in a video posted to X.

Stevens lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed earlier this year. On Sunday morning, she appeared alongside Rogers at a church in Detroit. She had been scheduled to appear at a church event with El-Sayed that day in a show of party unity, but did not attend. The event with El-Sayed and Rep. James Clyburn went ahead as planned.

A feud rooted in Israel and a primary that never settled

Stevens is a centrist and staunch supporter of Israel. El-Sayed represents the party’s left wing. The feud escalated over an outside group’s campaign ad that blamed US support for Israel for high grocery prices. Rebellion PAC produced the ad. Stevens described it as telling Michigan families they cannot afford groceries because their money must be set aside for killing Palestinians, and blaming Israel for everything Michiganders cannot afford. El-Sayed’s campaign said it had nothing to do with the ad. Stevens set a precondition for appearing with El-Sayed at the planned unity event: that he denounce the ad and apologize for rhetoric she considered inflammatory and offensive to the Jewish and Black voters who had supported her during the primary. El-Sayed declined the request. Stevens said he had made clear she was not welcome in his campaign. In her endorsement video, Stevens referenced Hasan Piker by name, saying she does not stand with him. Piker is a streamer who campaigned with El-Sayed during the primary. In August, El-Sayed sought to distance himself from Piker but stopped short of disavowing him.

Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, endorsed or planned to vote for Rogers before Stevens did. Stevens has an entire page on her website dedicated to denouncing Trump’s policies.

Party leaders and staff revolt

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the endorsement a despicable betrayal. Schumer said Senate Democrats are united in support for El-Sayed, because he will fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel condemned Stevens, saying her decision to campaign with Rogers, a man who wants to pass a national abortion ban and has pledged to be a loyal vote for Trump’s agenda, shows she has abandoned everything she claims to care about. Neera Tanden, a former senior adviser to President Joe Biden, condemned Stevens on X, calling it a betrayal of everything Stevens has fought for her entire career.

Multiple Stevens staffers resigned following the endorsement. Justin German, Stevens’ chief of staff for eight years, resigned and released a statement endorsing El-Sayed. German said the team was shocked and heartbroken by Stevens’ decision to support Rogers. Communications director Logan Basch was among those who resigned.

President Donald Trump praised Stevens’ endorsement on Truth Social. Trump said Stevens showed great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the Great People of Michigan with what she did.

El-Sayed dismisses the endorsement

El-Sayed dismissed Stevens’ endorsement, saying he does not think about her. He told reporters voters do not think about Stevens either. El-Sayed was standing with Rep. Jim Clyburn and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks outside a church on Sunday.

High stakes in a tight race

The Michigan Senate race is considered one of the tightest battleground contests in the midterm elections. The seat is being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The last time a Republican was elected to this Senate seat was in 1994. Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the Senate. The rift highlights broader Democratic Party divisions over Israel, a schism likely to extend far beyond Election Day.