Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) on Sunday defended her surprise endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's pivotal Senate race, telling reporters in Detroit that she remains a loyal Democrat despite backing the GOP candidate over her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.
"I'm not turning my back on Democrats," Stevens said, standing alongside Rogers. "It is this one vote." She described her decision as "personal and private," adding, "I still love the party. I've done a ton for the party. I've voted for the party over and over and over again. I'm going to continue to do that as I fill out my term. Everyone should be fired up for Democrats."
Stevens pointed to El-Sayed's campaign appearance with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker as the reason she reversed her endorsement. "When you see us standing with Hasan Piker and repeated hate, it's not acceptable," she said. "That's it." El-Sayed has not appeared with Piker since defeating Stevens in the August Democratic primary.
Rogers said he was "honored" to have Stevens's support and praised her for showing "courage in politics." The congresswoman stunned her party by attending service at Detroit's Perfecting Church with Rogers just two days before Election Day.
The endorsement comes as El-Sayed leads Rogers by roughly 4 percentage points in a Decision Desk HQ polling average of Michigan Senate surveys. Democrats are fighting to hold the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) as they seek to flip the chamber. The party has tried to mend divisions after a bitter primary centered on Israel, and Stevens had indicated she would vote for El-Sayed until Sunday.
Stevens was initially invited to a Sunday campaign event with El-Sayed brokered by Reps. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.). But El-Sayed disinvited her after she criticized him on social media Friday. "Abdul was very clear. He said, 'Don't come,'" Stevens said Sunday. A source familiar confirmed to NewsNation that El-Sayed did not want Stevens near his other campaign events.
The rift stemmed from Stevens's push for El-Sayed to disavow an ad by a group supporting him that blamed high grocery prices on Israel and the war in Gaza. El-Sayed told MS NOW that his campaign was not behind the ad and that "I do not agree with the contents of that ad." The dispute has only deepened Democratic tensions in a race critical to Senate control.
Democrats quickly rallied behind El-Sayed after Stevens's reversal. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, and Michigan Democrats all released statements underscoring their support for El-Sayed on Tuesday. "The stakes of this election could not be higher: Mike Rogers is a rubber stamp for Donald Trump, and together they plan to continue sowing chaos and making life unaffordable for families while prioritizing their billionaire donors at the expense of Michigan families," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), chair of the Senate Democrats' campaign arm. "We stand firmly behind Abdul El-Sayed, who is a fighter for Michiganders and will work tirelessly to be the champion they need in the Senate, and we reject any efforts to divide Democrats ahead of Tuesday's crucial election."
The press conference ended abruptly when an attendee shouted that Stevens was a "traitor." Her decision has drawn sharp criticism from within her own party, but Stevens insisted she remains committed to Democratic causes. "I endorsed him. I meant it when I endorsed him," she said of her initial support for El-Sayed after her narrow primary loss.
With just days until the election, the episode threatens Democratic unity in a state essential to their Senate hopes. El-Sayed has sought to brush off the controversy, but the intra-party clash could complicate efforts to consolidate support. For more on the race, see El-Sayed's response to Stevens's endorsement and the fractured Democratic unity event in Michigan. National Democrats are also watching key toss-up races that will decide House control.
