Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) on Sunday described Rep. Haley Stevens's (D-Mich.) CNN interview defending her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race as "one of the most painful interviews I've ever watched." Dingell's comments came during a separate appearance on the network, where she expressed dismay over the political fallout from Stevens's cross-party move.
During the interview with Anderson Cooper, Stevens faced repeated questions about why she had switched her support to Rogers, a former GOP congressman, over Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed. The tense exchange prompted Cooper to apologize to Dingell for scheduling her appearance immediately after Stevens's without her knowledge.
"First of all, I'm going to say I'm not sure I would have done this if I had known she was going to be on immediately before me," Dingell said. "That was one of the most painful interviews I've ever watched. I have been worried about her all last week. She's a human being. I've had multiple conversations with her. I'm far from being the only one that has."
Dingell warned that the controversy could become a "distraction" from core Democratic messaging on economic issues like the cost of living. She expressed sadness over the focus on Stevens's endorsement, which has roiled Michigan Democrats and led to staff resignations. The mass staff exodus underscores the depth of intra-party anger.
"And I think that this is backfiring," Dingell said. "Abdul has raised more money today, more than a million dollars, talking to different people that have been at different polls ... By the end of the day, I thought Abdul was going to win, but I felt a shift just being out, as I always am, this afternoon. So I think this race is going to be close."
Cooper pressed Dingell on whether El-Sayed should have handled the situation differently, noting that sources said the candidate had asked Stevens not to attend a campaign event at a church with him on Sunday morning. Dingell revealed she was the one who called Stevens to suggest the event could become a distraction.
"I'm actually the one that called her and said, 'This has become a distraction,'" Dingell said. "I don't know what I wish. This has been a very difficult week to watch, and I know that Michigan is tired of the drama, that they're really worried about everyday issues."
When Cooper asked if Stevens had indeed told Dingell on Saturday night that she would not endorse Rogers—a claim Stevens had repeatedly denied in her own interview—Dingell confirmed: "Yes, she did. Multiple times."
The endorsement has drawn sharp rebukes from national Democrats. Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) called it "insane," writing on X: "There's a fascist dictator in the White House. Mike Rogers is a racist who supports a nationwide abortion ban AND the fascist dictator. With this move, Haley Stevens is no longer a Democrat." Republicans, including President Trump, have welcomed Stevens's move, with Trump saying he would "love to have" her join the GOP. The president's embrace has further inflamed tensions within the Democratic caucus.
Dingell's comments highlight the deep fissures the endorsement has caused in Michigan's Democratic establishment, with some seeing it as a strategic betrayal and others urging focus on the general election. As the race tightens, El-Sayed's campaign has sought to shrug off the endorsement, but Dingell's warning suggests the fallout is far from over.
