By Basant El-Faramawy
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed raised more than $2.4 million on Sunday after Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican nominee Mike Rogers two days before Election Day, triggering a wave of grassroots donations and widespread condemnation from Democratic leaders.
Record-breaking fundraising
El-Sayed’s campaign reported 65,000 individual donations on Sunday, nearly half from first-time donors, with an average contribution of roughly $37. Campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak called the haul a testament to excitement around El-Sayed’s movement and a rejection of status-quo politics.
Democratic backlash
Stevens’s endorsement drew sharp criticism. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said she had “abandoned everything she claims to care about.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a “despicable betrayal,” while former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Stevens had “chosen to dangerously betray Michigan families’ healthcare, freedoms and future.” Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton dismissed the episode as “a sideshow.”
Polling and prediction markets
El-Sayed leads Rogers by more than 10 points in the latest New York Times/Siena poll, 53 percent to 42 percent. Following the endorsement, prediction markets shifted sharply: El-Sayed’s odds rose to 69 percent on Kalshi and Polymarket, then climbed to 78 percent and 79 percent respectively by Monday morning.
Primary divisions over Israel
The fallout traces back to the Democratic primary, where El-Sayed’s criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza exposed a fracture among Democrats. Stevens’s fiancé, Jason Turkish, endorsed Rogers over that issue, and Stevens demanded El-Sayed denounce an ad criticized as antisemitic from an unaffiliated group. El-Sayed said his campaign had no connection to the ad and urged focus on beating Rogers.
Stevens struggles to explain endorsement
In a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper on Sunday night, Stevens struggled to articulate what changed between her private support for El-Sayed and her public backing of Rogers. She cited El-Sayed’s “lack of kindness” and his past association with commentator Hasan Piker, but acknowledged she wants Democrats to win the Senate. Her chief of staff and about half her staff resigned in protest.
