Democrat Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate Race Two Days Before the Election

DETROIT, Nov. 1 (TodayViralUSA) — Rep. Haley Stevens, the Michigan Democrat who narrowly lost her party’s U.S. Senate primary in August, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday, a stunning break with her party two days before an election in which Michigan’s open seat could help decide control of the Senate.

Stevens announced the decision in a video posted on social media after appearing alongside Rogers at a service at Perfecting Church in Detroit. The move followed a week of escalating public conflict with the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, whose campaign had asked her to stay away from its final 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 said in the video. “And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”

A feud over an ad and Israel

The rift deepened on Friday, when Stevens called on El-Sayed to condemn an ad by an outside group, Rebellion PAC, that linked U.S. military aid to Israel with rising grocery prices. Stevens described the ad as antisemitic. She also demanded that El-Sayed apologize for earlier remarks she said tied U.S. support for Israel to Michigan’s affordability problems, and that he take down a campaign ad featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

El-Sayed, a vocal critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, said the outside ad “was not made by me” and that he disagreed with its content, but accused Stevens of “relitigating a primary that ended three months ago.” His campaign then asked her not to attend remaining events, including a planned Sunday appearance in Detroit with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn aimed at mobilizing Black voters, CBS News and Politico reported.

Days earlier, Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News he planned to vote for Rogers. Stevens had then reaffirmed her support for El-Sayed, describing theirs as “a household divided.”

Democrats cry betrayal

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the endorsement “a despicable betrayal” and said Senate Democrats “are united in our support for Abdul El-Sayed.” Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Stevens had “chosen to dangerously betray Michigan families’ healthcare, freedoms and future.”

El-Sayed played down the episode, telling reporters he was focused on voters who “pay too much in gas” and groceries. “At the end of the day, I actually don’t think about Haley Stevens,” he said. His campaign told CBS News it had raised more than $1.2 million after the endorsement was announced.

Rogers, a former congressman who chaired the House Intelligence Committee, said the endorsement was “more a statement about standing together against hate” than about party. President Donald Trump praised Stevens on Truth Social.

In a CNN interview Sunday evening, Stevens said she still “absolutely” wants Democrats to win control of the Senate and called her endorsement “this one vote.” “I’m a really proud Democrat,” she said.

A race shaped by attacks on El-Sayed’s faith

The race has also been marked by Republican attacks on El-Sayed, a physician who would be the Senate’s first Muslim member. Republicans have accused him of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which he denies. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who backs El-Sayed, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the rhetoric from Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and others amounted to “overt absolute racism.”

The national picture

The Michigan turmoil lands as Democrats hold an edge nationally. A new NBC News poll found registered voters preferred a Democratic-controlled Congress by 52% to 45%, and put Trump’s disapproval rating at 60%, a high across his two terms in that survey. More than 53 million Americans had already voted early, according to the University of Florida’s tracker cited by CBS News. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.