Detroit Democrat Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers

Haley Stevens, a former U.S. House representative from Michigan, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for the state's open Senate seat on Sunday. The decision came days before the general election and followed a public falling out with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens announced the endorsement in a video after attending a church service with Rogers in Detroit.

The rift between the two Democrats has grown since the August primary, where El-Sayed defeated Stevens by a narrow margin. Tensions escalated in the final week of the campaign over policy differences regarding Israel and a critical advertisement run by an outside group. Stevens said El-Sayed's team told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign.

"Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away," Stevens said in the video. "And he's right. And that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today."

El-Sayed dismissed the move when speaking to reporters later on Sunday. He stated that his focus remains on issues such as the cost of living. "At the end of the day I actually don't think about Haley Stevens," El-Sayed said. "None of this matters."

Party officials reacted sharply to the reversal. Curtis Hertel, the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, wrote that Stevens has abandoned her party's values. He stated that the endorsement shows she is no longer a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also criticized the move, calling it a despicable betrayal in a social media post.

Debbie Dingell, a senior U.S. representative from Michigan, said she asked Stevens not to attend a joint event with El-Sayed on Sunday. Dingell explained that the disagreement had become too distracting for the campaign. "This is not how I was going to spend my weekend before the election, to be perfectly frank," Dingell said.

Stevens' longtime chief of staff resigned following the announcement, and other staff members are expected to follow. The aide described the news as shocking and heartbroken in a statement. Rogers, who served in Congress before, stood beside Stevens at the church service. He said he was honored by her support.

Early voting in Michigan began on October 24. As of Friday, more than 1.8 million people had already cast their ballots. The general election will determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. The seat is currently held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters.