Stevens Endorses GOP's Rogers After El-Sayed Rift; Staff Resignations Reported

In a stunning rebuke of her own party just days before the midterm elections, Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for the Michigan Senate seat. According to the NBC News report ^[4], Stevens stated in a video, "And he’s right, and that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today. I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign."

The move follows a violent primary loss to Abdul El-Sayed and months of tension over Israel policy. The Guardian noted ^[1] that Stevens had refused to endorse El-Sayed for months, with the two having sparred viciously. The rift boiled over when El-Sayed declined to denounce an outside campaign ad blaming US support for Israel for rising costs, a red line for the staunch pro-Israel Stevens.

El-Sayed’s campaign formally disinvited Stevens from their events, with Rep. Debbie Dingell telling CNN she had told Stevens "this isn’t working" regarding their joint appearance plans. The Independent reported ^[3] that Stevens viewed El-Sayed’s refusal to condemn the ad as a failure to address Jewish voters' concerns, calling her own decision an "act of bravery."

Stevens appeared with Rogers at the Perfecting Church in Detroit on Sunday. While El-Sayed was miles away at another service trying to project unity, Stevens’ endorsement sent shockwaves through the Democratic coalition. TMZ reported ^[2] that Stevens’ longtime chief of staff and several other staff members resigned from her office in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.

The endorsement complicates what is already one of the most competitive Senate races in the country. With more than 2 million votes already cast, the late-stage infighting threatens Democratic efforts to drive turnout among Black and Jewish voters in Detroit. Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, had already signaled his support for Rogers, arguing El-Sayed had not done enough to address antisemitism.

Democratic allies have expressed fury, with Stevens being heckled as a "traitor" at the press conference. Despite the backlash, Stevens maintained her decision was based on principle rather than political gain, noting she has no future ambitions as a Republican. The race for the seat held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters remains razor-thin, with control of the Senate potentially hinging on Michigan’s outcome.