Haley Stevens’ Endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers Roils Michigan Senate Race
WASHINGTON — Outgoing U.S. Representative Haley Stevens upended the critical Michigan Senate race with a surprise endorsement of Republican candidate Mike Rogers, a late-campaign pivot that caught political strategists in both parties off guard while roughly half the votes remained to be cast.
Stevens, a Michigan Democrat who narrowly lost her primary bid to progressive rival Abdul El-Sayed after a bruising contest marked by massive outside spending, announced her dramatic switch on Monday during an appearance on a broadcast program. Explaining her rationale, Stevens declared, “I do not feel that Dr. El-Sayed is fit to be a US senator.”
The congresswoman recounted that she initially attempted to support El-Sayed following her primary defeat despite significant misgivings, but reached a breaking point over campaign advertisements. She pointed specifically to an ad produced by progressive commentator Cenk Uygur blaming high grocery prices on Israel, as well as an association with Tucker Carlson, criticizing El-Sayed for not demanding the spots be removed.
“Then the ads came out, ads blaming Jews for everything, and the Tucker ad,” Stevens said. She described having an epiphany over the weekend, reflecting that she was no longer being honest with herself regarding her uneasy backing of the Democratic nominee. She placed a phone call to Rogers early Sunday morning. The Republican campaign signaled openness to the crossover support, while a separate GOP strategist noted that the move left insiders stunned.
The defection triggered immediate fury and outrage among national and state Democrats. Prior to her announcement, several high-profile lawmakers—including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, and Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan—had reached out to Stevens amid rumors that she might withdraw her support.
Tensions between Stevens and the El-Sayed campaign had been mounting for days. Following Stevens’ public criticism of the controversial grocery price advertisement, El-Sayed publicly highlighted his primary victory over her, noting that his campaign had overcome substantial corporate and political action committee spending on her behalf. Consequently, Stevens was uninvited from a planned unity event. A source familiar with the situation remarked that her uninvitation left her with few options, invoking a comment from El-Sayed himself: “Hurt people, hurt people.” Another Democratic insider suggested the rift was deeply personal, driven by a feeling that Stevens deserved greater respect given her strong primary performance and dedicated voter base.
As fallout from the endorsement reverberated across political circles, attention also turned to Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, who had endorsed Rogers days before Stevens made her announcement. Former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard, who dined with the couple shortly before the endorsement, recounted that Turkish was deeply frustrated with El-Sayed. Former Stevens adviser Caitlin Legacki criticized the relationship on a podcast as toxic, noting that Stevens’ former campaign and official staff had been largely cut out of decision-making.
However, Stevens rejected the notion that she was coerced, telling interviewers that any suggestion she was forced into her decision was unfounded. Her mother, Maria Marcotte, who also endorsed Rogers, dismissed claims of outside influence as misogyny.
The endorsement fallout cost Stevens several members of her congressional staff, who resigned in protest. Former campaign press secretary Joetta Appiah called the move deeply disappointing, arguing that Stevens was walking back her campaign’s core principles and urging voters to keep their focus on electing El-Sayed to counter the opposing party.
El-Sayed sought to downplay the defection as an irrelevant distraction for voters, maintaining that his campaign remains focused on lowering costs and holding opponents accountable. Despite the backlash, Stevens is not the only high-profile Michigan Democrat to break ranks; former Detroit-area Representative Hansen Clarke and former Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Lon Johnson have also announced they will not vote for El-Sayed.
“I am really proud to have her vote,” Rogers told reporters on Sunday, praising the outgoing congresswoman for her bravery as he welcomed her to his coalition.
