In a stunning move that has sent shockwaves through Michigan's political landscape, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) has thrown her support behind former Rep. Mike Rogers (R) in the state's Senate race, bypassing Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. The endorsement, announced just days before the election, has ignited fury among Democrats and handed Republicans a rare moment of optimism in a battleground they are desperate to flip.
Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in a bitter August primary, appeared alongside Rogers at a Detroit church service on Sunday. The appearance came after a weekend of escalating tensions between Stevens and El-Sayed, which ultimately derailed a planned joint event featuring Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and the Democratic nominee. The decision has been labeled a "despicable betrayal" by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who had backed Stevens in the primary. Several members of Stevens's staff resigned in protest, and the Michigan Democratic Party removed her photo from its website.
Democratic megadonor John Morgan, a former Stevens supporter, did not mince words. "What she demonstrated today is that she cares more about herself than the people in her state," Morgan said. "She had a reputation for being mean and petty and proved it today. She is now a washed-up battle axe who has effectively retired from politics. She is now officially radioactive."
Michigan State Rep. Joe Tate (D), a former House Speaker who also endorsed Stevens in the primary, called the episode "shocking and disappointing," adding, "There are going to be some hard feelings after this. That's just a reality." Even California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) weighed in, calling the development "suboptimal" and "unfortunate" during an interview, though he stopped short of condemning Stevens outright.
Race Remains Tight Despite Endorsement
El-Sayed and Rogers are locked in a close contest to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.). A Decision Desk HQ polling average shows El-Sayed leading by nearly 5 percentage points, with a 73 percent probability of winning the seat. Recent polls have shown his lead hovering between 4 and 7 points, and a Sunday New York Times/Siena College poll put him 11 points ahead. Republicans view Michigan as one of their best pickup opportunities and had openly hoped to face El-Sayed rather than Stevens in the general election.
Rogers welcomed Stevens's endorsement, calling it "courage in politics." Stevens, however, downplayed any suggestion that she was abandoning her party, insisting, "I'm not turning my back on Democrats." She cited frustration with El-Sayed's campaign appearances alongside controversial far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker and his decision to disinvite her from the planned Sunday event. The two have also clashed over U.S. support for Israel in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
El-Sayed, appearing with Clyburn and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), brushed off the endorsement. "This is a state of 10 million people who deserve a lot better from the government," he said. "I'm a lot more focused on the 9,999,998 that are not the ones you guys are talking about," a pointed reference to Stevens and her fiancé, who is also backing Rogers.
GOP Sees Opportunity
For Republicans, Stevens's move is a welcome development. Bernadette Breslin, a spokeswoman for the Senate Republicans' campaign arm, argued that Rogers is "building a winning coalition of common-sense voters who Abdul El-Sayed has alienated by campaigning alongside Hasan Piker, who said 'America deserves 9/11' and failing to unequivocally condemn terrorist regimes like the Muslim Brotherhood and [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]."
Michigan Republican strategist Jason Cabel Roe, who is not involved in the Senate race, noted that the endorsement could shift momentum. "At the end of an election, you want to close on your message, and he's done a very good job of controlling the message in his campaign," Roe said. "And he now spends 48 hours explaining this away." Roe also pointed out that Stevens is not the only prominent Democrat to withhold support from El-Sayed, citing former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson and fundraiser David Kramer.
Despite the GOP's enthusiasm, Democratic leaders are downplaying the impact, noting that many Michigan voters have already cast ballots. Still, the move has left party members baffled and angry. Some House Democrats are reportedly considering expelling Stevens from the caucus, and one strategist said, "Just when you think you've seen it all. To do it like this? It's other level."
As the race enters its final hours, Stevens's endorsement has added an unpredictable twist to a contest that could help determine control of the Senate. For now, both campaigns are scrambling to respond, with El-Sayed focusing on his message of change and Rogers leveraging the cross-party support as evidence of his broad appeal.
