Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers in Senate Race After Clash With Abdul El-Sayed

Democratic U.S. Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, marking a dramatic development in the final stretch of Michigan’s Senate contest following a public rift with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.

In a video published on social media Sunday, Stevens explained her decision after being excluded from remaining campaign events. “Our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he’s right,” Stevens stated. “And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”

The political fallout stems from a primary contest in August, which Stevens narrowly lost to El-Sayed. Although she initially stated she supported the broader Democratic ticket, tensions escalated last week when Stevens publicly urged El-Sayed to condemn an outside political advertisement. The controversial ad connected U.S. military aid for Israel to rising domestic grocery prices, a message Stevens condemned as antisemitic.

El-Sayed rejected the demand, accusing Stevens of “relitigating a primary that ended three months ago.” While distancing himself from the commercial, stating it was not produced by his campaign and that he disagreed with its contents, the dispute deepened divisions within the party.

As the campaign entered its final days ahead of Tuesday’s election, Stevens was asked to stay away from all remaining campaign events. She had originally been scheduled to appear alongside El-Sayed and South Carolina Democratic Representative Jim Clyburn at a unity event on Sunday. Instead, El-Sayed explained on Saturday that he preferred to avoid distractions, stating, “I would rather not distract from the key issues of this campaign” as he pivots back to facing Rogers.

Capitalizing on the intraparty division, Rogers praised Stevens on Friday for her stance against the ad and for voicing concerns held by Michigan Jewish voters. “Representative Haley Stevens is a courageous leader who deserves the respect of every Michigan voter,” Rogers wrote in a social media post, noting her conduct since the primary where she competed for the nomination.

Following the announcement, Stevens appeared alongside Rogers at the Perfecting Church in Detroit on Sunday. The endorsement adds to existing family political divisions surrounding the race, as Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, announced last week that he is also casting his ballot for Rogers.