Michigan Democratic Primary Rival Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers in Senate Race

Congresswoman Haley Stevens announced her endorsement of Republican candidate Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race, delivering an unusual rebuke to her own party's nominee on the eve of the midterm elections. Stevens published the endorsement in a video posted to X following her appearance alongside Rogers at the Perfecting Church in Detroit on Sunday.

The decision followed an escalating feud between Stevens and her former primary rival, Abdul El-Sayed, centered largely on support for Israel during a fiercely contested campaign. Stevens had previously accepted El-Sayed’s narrow victory over her in the state's Democratic Senate primary before shifting her support to his Republican opponent.

The announcement drew swift condemnation from Democratic figures. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel criticized the move, stating that campaigning with Rogers demonstrated an abandonment of the working class and party values. Similarly, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Stevens of betraying working-class voters by supporting a Republican candidate.

The endorsement also caused internal friction within Stevens's congressional office. According to reports, several members of her campaign and congressional staff resigned in protest, including her long-time chief of staff, Justin German, and communications director, Logan Basch. German subsequently issued a statement on behalf of the team endorsing El-Sayed and expressing shock at the congresswoman's decision.

Progressive figures weighed in on the controversy, with Senator Bernie Sanders posting on X to praise the resigning staff members and urge voters to support El-Sayed to prevent Republican control of the Senate. Meanwhile, addressing reporters at a Sunday press conference outside a rally from which Stevens had earlier been disinvited, El-Sayed remarked that he was focused on policy rather than the political fallout.

Despite the heavy criticism from her party, Stevens received praise for her pivot from Donald Trump, whose policies are otherwise heavily criticized on the congresswoman's official website.