Representative Haley Stevens shocked Michigan politics on Sunday by appearing alongside Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers at Detroit’s Perfecting Church and endorsing his campaign, just two days before a high-stakes election that could decide control of the United States Senate.
Stevens, a Democrat who narrowly lost the August primary to Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, delivered remarks at the church praising Rogers for his support of Black-owned businesses. The unexpected joint appearance provided Rogers with a prominent visual opportunity as the Republican campaign works to attract Black and Jewish voters in a tightly contested race.
In a video published on the social platform X, Stevens explained her sudden shift in allegiance. She stated that El-Sayed informed her she was no longer welcome in his campaign.
“And he’s right, and that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today,” Stevens said in the video.
The bipartisan appearance came together at the last minute after Stevens and Rogers spoke on Sunday morning, according to an individual familiar with the arrangements. The meeting followed the collapse of separate plans for Stevens to attend a Detroit church service alongside El-Sayed and Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina. Representative Debbie Dingell, who helped organize the original joint event with El-Sayed, told reporters she ultimately asked Stevens not to participate because the ongoing dispute had become a distraction.
The rift underscores deep divisions lingering from a bitter primary contest. Although Stevens initially endorsed El-Sayed after her August defeat, tensions escalated last week when her fiancé, Jason Turkish, announced he would vote for Rogers due to concerns regarding El-Sayed’s rhetoric on Israel.
Following that announcement, Stevens publicly demanded that El-Sayed condemn an outside political advertisement linking U.S. support for Israel to rising domestic grocery prices and urged him to take down a campaign ad featuring Tucker Carlson. El-Sayed fired back, accusing Stevens of attempting to re-litigate the primary campaign. Although El-Sayed explicitly rejected the contents of the outside ad on Saturday—prompting Stevens to state she welcomed his remarks—the reconciliation was short-lived, culminating in Sunday’s endorsement.
Journalist Sam Robinson captured video footage of Stevens entering the church and speaking in support of Rogers.
While the endorsement deals a blow to Democratic unity ahead of Tuesday’s election, representatives for El-Sayed argued that Stevens’ defection could ultimately benefit his campaign by highlighting his anti-establishment credentials.
“It’s good for Abdul,” a source close to the Democratic nominee said, characterizing Stevens as a representative of the political establishment and traditional congressional power structures. The endorsement “shows Abdul is the candidate of change and for the people of Michigan,” the source added.
Michigan voters head to the polls on Tuesday to choose between Rogers and El-Sayed, marking a critical test for Democrats attempting to mend a fractured coalition and protect their Senate majority.
