The decision by Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and her fiancé, Jason Turkish, to back Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has fractured Michigan's Democratic coalition, exposing deep divisions over the party's handling of Israel-related issues and primary bitterness.
Turkish, a Jewish attorney and longtime donor, publicly pledged his vote to Rogers after repeatedly accusing El-Sayed of using "antisemitic language" on the campaign trail. In an interview with the Detroit News, Turkish said, "we have never seen a candidate for U.S. Senate act so recklessly toward the safety of Jews in the community as we have seen from Abdul." He also told Jewish Insider that El-Sayed's refusal to state whether Israel or Iran poses a greater threat to the U.S. was "100 percent disqualifying to be a United States senator."
Turkish's endorsement comes after Stevens lost the August Democratic primary to El-Sayed, a former state health director. The couple announced their engagement shortly after that defeat. Since then, both have sharply criticized El-Sayed over a super PAC ad linking rising grocery prices to U.S. military aid to Israel. The ad, run by Rebellion PAC, which supports El-Sayed's Senate bid, has been disavowed by his campaign as unauthorized, but El-Sayed has stopped short of a full condemnation.
The controversy has reverberated beyond Michigan. Stevens' cross-party endorsement has drawn fierce backlash from national Democrats, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it a "despicable betrayal." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has indicated the Democratic Caucus may consider action against Stevens. Even CNN commentator Van Jones said Stevens "flushed herself down the toilet" with the move.
Turkish, who has been legally blind since birth, is a managing partner at Nyman Turkish PC, a law firm specializing in accessibility and civil rights. His advocacy includes efforts to remove the LSAT's logic games section and to secure absentee voting rights for blind Michigan voters. He was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to the state's Attorney Discipline Board, serving until September 2027.
His political giving has crossed party lines. According to Open Secrets, Turkish contributed to Stevens' House campaigns and also donated to Granite Values PAC, aligned with Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Dirigo PAC, aligned with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
Turkish and El-Sayed overlapped at the University of Michigan from 2005 to 2007, with El-Sayed delivering the commencement speech at their graduation. That shared history has made the current rift feel more personal to many in Michigan politics.
Turkish has also pledged to attend a Rogers campaign event hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition, titled "Who Will Keep Us Safe? Rogers vs. El-Sayed," featuring Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. His continued attacks, including telling reporters that El-Sayed "makes my community less safe," have fueled El-Sayed's fundraising surge—El-Sayed raised $1.2 million in hours after Stevens' endorsement became public.
As the general election heats up, the Stevens-Turkish alliance with Rogers is likely to remain a flashpoint, testing party loyalty and the limits of cross-party endorsements in a closely watched Senate race.
