Liberal commentator Van Jones on Sunday delivered a blistering critique of Rep. Haley Stevens (R-Mich.), saying her decision to back Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan's closely watched race amounted to political self-destruction.
Appearing on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, Jones seized on Stevens's cross-party endorsement, which came just two days before the midterm elections and after a bitter primary battle between Stevens and Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. The move has shaken the Michigan Senate race, drawing sharp rebukes from national Democrats and even threats of disciplinary action within the party.
Jones praised El-Sayed for maintaining focus on voters rather than engaging in personal attacks. "You know, Abdul, when given the opportunity to follow this whole conversation down a rabbit hole, had incredible message discipline today, and kept talking about Michigan voters," Jones said. "When Haley was talking about Michigan voters, she had moral authority. She starts talking about herself, she loses moral authority."
He contrasted El-Sayed's approach with Stevens's endorsement, which has been widely criticized as a betrayal. "He could have done the same thing and gotten personal. He didn't. Abdul said, 'I don't want to talk about this woman at all. I want to talk about people 15 minutes from here.' Now listen, I think his message has been too narrow, and he's left out too many people. But he has shown a level of discipline on this campaign, and Haley just flushed herself down the toilet," Jones added.
El-Sayed, for his part, brushed off Stevens's endorsement during a Sunday press event in Detroit. "At the end of the day, I actually don't think about Haley Stevens," he told reporters. "This is a state of 10 million people who deserve a lot better from the government. I'm a lot more focused on the 9,999,998 that are not the ones you guys are talking about."
Stevens's endorsement of Rogers—a former FBI agent and Republican congressman—has triggered fury among Democrats, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it a "despicable betrayal." House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has indicated the caucus may consider action against Stevens, though no formal steps have been announced.
The endorsement followed a tense week in which Stevens had agreed to appear with El-Sayed for the first time since their primary, but then criticized his response to an anti-Israel ad that linked Israel to high U.S. grocery prices. El-Sayed subsequently disinvited her from a planned Sunday appearance and told her to stay away from his campaign events.
Stevens has defended her decision, citing El-Sayed's ties to progressive commentator Hasan Piker, but her explanation has done little to quell the backlash. The Hill has reached out to Stevens's office for comment.
With the election looming, the episode has become a flashpoint in a race that could determine control of the Senate. El-Sayed's campaign, meanwhile, has reported a surge in fundraising—raising $1.2 million in hours after the endorsement—suggesting that Stevens's move may have energized Democratic donors.
