Michigan Democrat Haley Stevens’ shocking last-minute endorsement of Mike Rogers, a Republican Senate candidate, has sparked fierce backlash from members of her party. Stevens, who narrowly lost in the Democratic primary for Senate to Abdul El-Sayed, announced her support for Rogers after a feud with the El-Sayed campaign over an outside group’s campaign ad that blamed the high cost of living on US support for Israel. Stevens had said she would appear at a campaign event if he denounced the advertisement.
El-Sayed’s campaign disinvited her. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, a Democrat from New York, described Stevens’ endorsement of Rogers as “a despicable betrayal”. Nancy Pelosi, a California representative, posted that Stevens had “chosen to dangerously betray Michigan families’ healthcare, freedoms and future with her horrific endorsement”.
Zohran Mamdani, the New York mayor, also said that “working class people’s lives are on the ballot on Tuesday”. Stevens refused to clearly explain what led to her last-minute endorsement of Rogers in an interview with CNN on Sunday evening. At one point, Stevens refused to answer the question, allowing several seconds of silence to air.
Curtis Hertel, the chair the Michigan Democratic party, said in a post that Stevens was not a member of the party “nor will she be in the future”. A Detroit journalist, Sam Robinson, shared a video in which Hertel was asked why he thought Stevens made the endorsement. I have known Haley Stevens for a long time, and I know what she has fought for her in her career, and this is the antithesis of all of that,” Hertel said.
Debbie Dingell, a Democratic representative from Michigan, said the state’s residents were focused on the cost of living, healthcare and housing. On MS Now on Sunday, El-Sayed encouraged undecided Michigan voters to stand with him to protect democracy in the United States. While some Democrats and Jewish leaders also condemned the advertisement for El-Sayed, congressional nominees Brad Lander and Daniel Biss, both of whom are Jewish and Democrats, issued a statement Sunday encouraging voters to support El-Sayed.
They did not mention Stevens. The other represents the promise of accountability, affordability, and the fight for a more equitable, just, and democratic future.” Meanwhile, Trump praised Stevens’ endorsement of Rogers on his platform Truth Social and described her as a “highly respected Democrat”. He continued to support Stevens during a campaign rally Sunday in Dubuque, Iowa, even going so far as to welcome her to join the Republican party.
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