Stevens Backs Rogers After El-Sayed Split

Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate on Sunday. This move followed a public split with the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, who asked Stevens to stay away from his campaign after a contentious primary.

Stevens had initially supported El-Sayed after losing the general election primary. However, reports indicated that lingering tension between the two candidates led El-Sayed’s team to distance themselves from her. In a video posted on X, Stevens confirmed the separation. She stated that El-Sayed said she was no longer welcome in his campaign. She added that she was endorsing Rogers for that reason.

The endorsement triggered a unified response from Democratic leaders who typically disagree on policy. Figures from both the moderate and progressive wings of the party condemned the last-minute switch. They described the decision as a betrayal of the party's efforts to win the state.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the decision despicable. He emphasized that Senate Democrats support El-Sayed. Schumer said El-Sayed will fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan. He contrasted this with Rogers, whom he called a tool of Donald Trump and billionaire donors.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York used stronger language on social media. He stated that El-Sayed will put the American people first and fight to lower the cost of living. Jeffries described Rogers as a partisan hack representing MAGA extremism. He noted that winning this seat is critical for Democrats to flip control of the Senate.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had endorsed Stevens in the primary, criticized the new endorsement. She said Stevens chose to dangerously betray Michigan families. Pelosi argued that El-Sayed must win because the state and the country deserve a better outcome.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told the New York Times that the pivot was galling. He explained that the ballot is about fighting for working people or amplifying a candidate who wants to cut Medicare further. He positioned El-Sayed as the champion of working people in this contest.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortey of New York dismissed the move as a distraction during a campaign stop in Astoria. She said El-Sayed is the leader the country needs in this moment. She suggested the endorsement was not worth the attention it was receiving.

Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin said she tried to stay out of the political drama between Stevens and El-Sayed. She stated that there was too much at stake for her to remain silent. Slotkin wrote that anyone making such an important election about themselves should consider if they are serving the greater good.

Sen. Gary Peters, who is leaving office after this election, said he was extremely disappointed in Stevens. Peters, who had endorsed El-Sayed and campaigned with him, posted that he and his wife would vote for El-Sayed and every Democrat on the ballot. He said a Democratic Senate majority is needed to stop the economic pain facing Michiganders.

DNC Chair Ken Martin called the endorsement a last-minute political stunt. He said the move was designed to sow division and derail momentum within the party. The next scheduled event is the general election ballot casting, where voters will choose between El-Sayed and Rogers.