By Salma El-Sakka
Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, a move Republicans hailed as courageous while Democrats called it a betrayal. The endorsement came days before the November 3 midterm election and triggered a fundraising surge for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, whose campaign said it raised $2.4 million in the hours after the announcement, its best single day.
Stevens Endorses Republican Rival
Stevens appeared with Rogers at a Detroit church service on November 1 and posted a video on X endorsing him. President Donald Trump called the endorsement an "act of bravery" showing "great loyalty to Michigan," while House Speaker Mike Johnson described it as "heroic and important for the country." Rogers said on Fox News that he learned of the switch only while en route to the church, attributing the move to El-Sayed's campaign tactics.
El-Sayed Campaign Reports Record Fundraising
El-Sayed's campaign said the $2.4 million haul came from more than 65,000 donors, nearly half contributing for the first time. The campaign stated the funds would support El-Sayed's message of getting money out of politics, putting money in voters' pockets, and Medicare for All. El-Sayed dismissed the endorsement's impact, telling reporters, "At the end of the day, I actually don't think about Haley Stevens."
Democratic Backlash and Party Fallout
Democratic leaders sharply criticized Stevens. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it a "terrible decision" that blindsided colleagues and isolated her from the caucus, suggesting possible expulsion. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said Stevens had abandoned her principles and would not be a party member in the future. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer labeled it a "despicable betrayal." Rep. Debbie Dingell, who said she had been assured Stevens would not support Rogers, expressed concern about pressure from the "strong Jewish community in her district" and racist rhetoric in ads targeting El-Sayed.
Primary Tensions Preceded Endorsement
Stevens and El-Sayed clashed during an August primary that El-Sayed won by one percentage point. Though they appeared together briefly after the primary, Stevens never campaigned with El-Sayed. Tensions escalated after Stevens' fiancé, Jason Turkish, announced support for Rogers and attended an event with Rogers and Sen. Ted Cruz. Stevens also demanded El-Sayed disavow ads she deemed offensive to Black and Jewish voters; El-Sayed said one ad was not from his campaign and he disagreed with it. A planned unity event at a Black church with Rep. James Clyburn and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks collapsed, with sources saying El-Sayed's team disinvited Stevens.
Polling and Race Dynamics
Recent polls show El-Sayed leading Rogers. A CNN poll last week found 75% of Black voters backing El-Sayed versus 10% for Rogers. An October CNN poll gave El-Sayed a 49%-42% edge, while a New York Times/Siena poll released Sunday showed a 53%-42% margin. El-Sayed downplayed the polls, noting primary polls had also shown him ahead by a comfortable margin before the vote.
