Sitting Democratic US Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday. The surprise endorsement followed a falling-out with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed after Stevens was disinvited from a joint campaign event amid a dispute over Israel and campaign advertisements.
Democratic Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan stunned party officials on Sunday by publicly endorsing Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
Church Service Appearance and the Fallout With Abdul El-Sayed
The political rupture unfolded after Stevens attended a Detroit church service with Rogers, specifically visiting Perfecting Church as a dramatic split-screen played out across the area. The move followed a public dispute with her party’s Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, a former Michigan public health official who is in a tight race with Rogers, an ex-congressman, for the seat held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters. Stevens was initially set to join the nominee and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina at a church event.
Responding to Haley Stevens' endorsement of Mike Rogers, Abdul El-Sayed said: "At the end of the day, I actually don't think about Haley Stevens." https://t.co/otnFO7NA5w pic.twitter.com/OBab9KY0xE
Representative Debbie Dingell said she asked Stevens not to attend. Dingell had noted hours earlier that United we stand, divided we fall.
Whenever anyone tries to set us against each other, we have an obligation to stand up and fight back.
Haley Stevens, US Democratic Representative
Immediate consequences followed her church appearance, highlighted by the resignation of her veteran chief of staff and anticipated departures from several other aides, based on statements from an individual close to the situation who requested anonymity when addressing private issues. While Stevens and Rogers stood together swaying in the pews, El-Sayed participated in a service a short distance away in an effort to project solidarity alongside other Democrats.
The Competitive Senate Race and Unresolved Party Divisions
This fresh, final-stretch discord emerges while Democrats aim to boost participation among Jewish and Black constituents within critical bases. Maintaining Democratic control of Michigan remains essential for the party’s objective of securing a majority throughout the remaining two years of Trump’s presidency. Dingell and other Democrats insist the party is united behind El-Sayed, though early voting has been underway since Oct. 24, before the latest tensions erupted.
However, the revived disputes have hindered the party’s capacity to present a cohesive final pitch in essential locations like Detroit, which could hold the key to the election outcome. The tensions carry particular significance in Wayne County, which includes Detroit, and neighboring Oakland County.