Democratic Rep. Stevens Switches Endorsement From El-Sayed to Republican Rogers in Michigan

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) has withdrawn her support for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated her in the primary vote, and endorsed his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers.

Stevens' Statement: Stevens said in a video on X, "Abdul said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away… he's right, and that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today. I don't belong in Abdul's campaign… what our students see, what our children see, and who we are as Michiganders is not hate and is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now." She added that she is "still a very proud Democrat."

Democratic Statement: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote, "This is a despicable betrayal from Rep. Stevens. Senate Democrats are united in our support for Abdul El-Sayed, because we know he will fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan, unlike Mike Rogers, who is a tool of Donald Trump and billionaire donors."

Rogers' Statement: Rogers wrote on X, "Congresswoman Stevens showed courage and bravery in putting Michigan first. She spent her career in Congress delivering for Michiganders, and her decision to support our campaign is no different. We agree on our love of Country, supporting minority businesses, investing in Michigan's future, fixing Michigan's crippling education system, and putting Michiganders first. As a lifelong Democrat known for her bipartisan work, the Congresswoman understands that Michigan is a purple state. It is the soul of our nation, and I would be honored to earn support from Democrats across Michigan."

Key Details: CNN (Lean Left bias) reported that last week staffers reached out to urge Stevens not to endorse Rogers, and she replied, "Omg why would you think I would do that??!!" according to a person who saw the message. Several mainstream outlets reported that over the weekend El-Sayed's campaign had asked Stevens to stay away from his remaining campaign events. Many of Stevens' staffers reportedly resigned immediately after she switched her endorsement.

For Context: A New York Times (Lean Left) poll published Sunday showed El-Sayed leading Rogers by 11 points. As the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have mounted momentum within the Democratic Party, El-Sayed has distanced himself from the "socialist" label. Some on the right, though, like Robby Soave (Lean Right) and Fox News (Right), have suggested the messaging is a political smokescreen.

How The Media Covered It: The Times described the split as being "months in the making" and, alongside coverage from CNN, singled out views on Israel as a significant sticking point between the two. The Times wrote, "El-Sayed, if he wins on Tuesday and enters the Senate in January, would be the most anti-Israel U.S. senator since the formation of the Jewish state 78 years ago." An opinion published in USA Today (Lean Left) claimed Steven is "embracing MAGA because her feelings got hurt." A Townhall (Right) opinion highlighted charged reactions from liberal commentators and called them "a meltdown on the Left that rivaled Pompeii's." ZeroHedge (Lean Right) approached the story from a similar angle and called the race "close," citing polling data from two weeks ago.

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