Haley Stevens’ endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers ignited a Democratic backlash, with Michigan’s party chair disavowing her, national leaders denouncing her decision and members of her staff resigning
Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens’ endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers has triggered a public rupture within Michigan’s Democratic Party, drawing denunciations from party leaders and resignations from her own staff just before Election Day.
Stevens announced her decision Sunday, Nov. 1, after attending a Detroit church service with Rogers. She had previously endorsed Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who narrowly defeated her in August’s Senate primary.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel responded by declaring: “Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future.”
Hertel also accused Stevens of misleading fellow Democrats about her intentions and said he saw no future for her in the party or elected office. The Detroit Free Press reported that the procedural status of her party membership was not immediately clear.
The backlash extended beyond Michigan. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the endorsement a “despicable betrayal,” while Rep. Debbie Dingell accused Stevens of seeking attention as Democrats tried to focus voters on affordability.
The split also reached Stevens’ congressional office. Her longtime chief of staff resigned, with additional staff departures reported after the announcement.
The endorsement followed days of conflict over advertisements and rhetoric concerning Israel. Stevens demanded that El-Sayed condemn an outside group’s ad linking U.S. support for Israel to grocery prices and remove his campaign’s separate advertisement featuring Tucker Carlson.
El-Sayed distanced himself from the outside advertisement and said he disagreed with its contents. His campaign subsequently asked Stevens to stay away from closing campaign events, arguing that she was reopening primary disputes.
Stevens cited that exclusion when explaining her endorsement, while insisting she remained a Democrat. The dispute has left party leaders confronting a highly visible break in their coalition as voters prepare to choose a successor to retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
