Michigan Representative Haley Stevens issued a pointed defense of her decision to withdraw her endorsement of fellow Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and back Republican Mike Rogers, releasing a full statement late Monday evening just hours before polls opened for Election Day.
Stevens faced intense backlash from within her party after shifting her support in the high-stakes Senate contest. In her statement, the congresswoman argued that her choice was a matter of conscience rather than impulse, pushing back against critics who questioned her motives and independence.
The friction began following the Democratic primary, after which Stevens initially endorsed El-Sayed to unify the party. However, Stevens claimed she was subsequently shut out and that party leaders failed to bridge divides left by the primary campaign. The definitive break came following specific campaign messaging and associations, including an outside ad linking the cost of groceries to U.S. support for Israel, an ad from El-Sayed’s campaign featuring Tucker Carlson, and El-Sayed’s campaigning alongside commentator Hasan Piker.
Stevens stated that she asked El-Sayed to clearly reject rhetoric she described as disturbing to Jewish and Black voters, but that the effort to find common ground failed and she was informed she was no longer welcome at campaign events. She questioned how a candidate who could not accommodate a primary opponent could represent an entire state.
Addressing critics who suggested her fiancé influenced her choice, Stevens condemned the speculation as sexist, emphasizing that she made the decision entirely on her own. While acknowledging policy disagreements with Rogers, Stevens explained that she concluded El-Sayed was unfit for the Senate and chose Rogers in the hope that he would serve in the tradition of John McCain by prioritizing country over party.
Stevens also criticized the reaction of Democratic leaders who rushed to condemn her rather than examining why a lifelong Democrat reached that point. She argued that the party must tolerate internal disagreement and avoid relying on loyalty tests and blind obedience if it hopes to build a lasting majority.
