By — Joey Cappelletti, Associated Press Joey Cappelletti, Associated Press By — Corey Williams, Associated Press Corey Williams, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/democrat-haley-stevens-endorses-gops-mike-rogers-in-michigan-senate-race-2-days-before-election Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Democrat Haley Stevens endorses GOP's Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race 2 days before election Politics Updated on Nov 1, 2026 1:09 PM EST — Published on Nov 1, 2026 12:37 PM EST DETROIT (AP) — Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's former opponent in the U.S. Senate primary, Haley Stevens, stunned party officials Sunday by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers after Democratic tensions boiled over days before the election that could determine the balance of power on Capitol Hill. Stevens endorsed Rogers after attending a Detroit church service with him. The remarkable show of support for President Donald Trump's backed candidate in the tightly contested race comes after she was uninvited to a joint event the same day with El-Sayed, who defeated the congresswoman by a slim margin in the August primary. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter…
Democrat Haley Stevens endorses GOP's Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race 2 days before election
In short
Haley Stevens backed Republican Mike Rogers after reporting that Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed told her she was no longer welcome around his campaign. The rift escalated over disputes regarding El-Sayed's statements on Israel, leading to Stevens being removed from an event with South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn despite her earlier pledge to vote Democratic. The political maneuver triggered immediate internal disruption, prompting the prompt resignation of Stevens's longtime chief of staff. Meanwhile, El-Sayed continued campaigning alongside prominent figures like Representative Debbie Dingell, avoiding direct public mention of the endorsement dispute.
Key points
- Intraparty fractures threaten Democratic efforts to unite critical Black and Jewish votin…: Intraparty fractures threaten Democratic efforts to unite critical Black and Jewish voting blocs ahead of the vote.
- The open seat left by retiring Senator Gary Peters remains central to determining the bal…: The open seat left by retiring Senator Gary Peters remains central to determining the balance of power in Washington.
- Stevens crossed party lines to endorse Donald Trump's preferred candidate despite having…: Stevens crossed party lines to endorse Donald Trump's preferred candidate despite having reaffirmed her plan to vote Democratic days earlier.