Democrat Haley Stevens endorses Abdul El-Sayed’s Republican rival Mike Rogers

Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who entered the 2024 Michigan Democratic Senate primary to defeat Abdul El‑Sayed, has turned to the Republican side by endorsing former rival Mike Rogers, a decisive shift that signals an extraordinary rebuke to her party’s chosen nominee ahead of the midterm elections.

The endorsement was revealed in a video posted to X following Stevens’s attendance at a gathering with Rogers at Detroit’s predominantly Black Perfecting Church on Sunday. This move marks the culmination of a long‑running feud between the former primary rivals that has stirred up one of the most contentious Senate races in the current cycle.

Haley Stevens faced swift criticism from Democrats, who condemned her support for Rogers as a betrayal of her party’s base.

Former senior adviser to President Joe Biden, Neera Tanden, expressed her disdain for the endorsement in a X post: “Aligning with Mike Rogers is a betrayal of every principle Haley Stevens has championed throughout her career, and it is equally a betrayal of her supporters who believed in her. I sincerely hope Abdul El‑Sayed secures a decisive victory on Tuesday, with widespread Democratic and like‑minded independent support.”

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel stated: “Haley Stevens’ choice to campaign alongside Rogers— a candidate who has repeatedly prioritized national abortion restrictions and pledged unwavering loyalty to Trump’s agenda— demonstrates that she has forsaken the very values she claims to champion. We unequivocally reject efforts by Stevens and other bad‑faith actors to fracture our party and weaken our momentum, and will not let these late‑stage distractions hinder our progress.”

Several long‑time campaign staffers, including chief of staff Justin German and communications director Logan Basch, reportedly departed after Stevens embraced Rogers, according to CNN correspondent Manu Raju.

Stevens narrowly lost the primary race this cycle and had previously withheld explicit support for Abdul El‑Sayed, mirroring the stance of his rival Mallory McMorrow. Yet, high‑level Democratic leaders had orchestrated a compromise bringing El‑Sayed and Stevens together. After a tense primary exchange, Stevens offered a lukewarm endorsement to Rogers, and this past weekend was poised to bring El‑Sayed to the North End of Detroit’s predominantly Black Perfecting Church.

The proposed strategy has since collapsed over a contentious dispute that has further strained the relationship between Stevens and El‑Sayed.

During the previous week, as a loyal Israel supporter, Stevens made it clear that her solidarity with El‑Sayed was contingent on his public condemnation of a third‑party ad alleging that U.S. support for Israel drove up living costs in America. El‑Sayed refused the demand, accusing Stevens of rekindling a debate that was already settled within the primary.

Subsequent to the escalating conflict, El‑Sayed’s campaign formally issued an invitation revocation for Stevens from his event lineup, closing the campaign window. Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell reported to CNN that she was the first to tell Stevens that the pairing was not productive. Dingell emphasized that the rivalry offered no strategic advantage and that both figures would be better served apart from one another.

In a statement early Sunday, Stevens expressed her anticipation of El‑Sayed’s victory and urged the electorate to cast their votes. However, mere hours later she was spotted accompanying Senate candidate Donald Trump, and in a subsequent comment she voiced her support for Rogers’s alleged future economic initiatives targeting Black enterprises.

Amid the intense political turbulence, Democratic analysts have noted that Stevens’s fiancé, Jason Turkish, has publicly criticized El‑Sayed while simultaneously backing Rogers. Turkish, a vocal proponent of Israel who historically contributed to Democratic candidates, this year also directed money to Republican figures such as Senator Susan Collins.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declined to single out Stevens but delivered a call for unity, affirming Democratic solidarity with Abdul El‑Sayed amid the partisan turmoil.

“Senate Democrats stand firmly behind Abdul El‑Sayed, confident he will defend the economic interests of Michigan’s working class—a contrast to Mike Rogers, a loyal instrument of Donald Trump and wealthy donors. We share this resolve and condemn the racist, Islamophobic, and disproportionately wild accusations levied against Abdul by his opponents. Such rhetoric underscores the Republican Party’s complete disregard for the pressing issues facing constituents, resorting to abrasive and anti‑American narratives because they lack substantive policy proposals for everyday concerns.”

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