Congresswoman who lost primary to Abdul El-Sayed makes surprise endorsement of GOP rival days before critical election that could decide Senate control.
Democratic Representative Haley Stevens has endorsed Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s closely contested US Senate race, a dramatic break with her party just two days before voters head to the polls.
Stevens, who was defeated by progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the August primary, appeared alongside Rogers at Detroit’s Perfecting Church on Sunday before announcing her support in a video posted on social media.
Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers for Senate:
“Our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away. And he’s right, and that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today,” Stevens said in the video. “I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign… Who we are as Michiganders is not hate, and it is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now.”
Speaking to reporters after the church service, Stevens said she remained a Democrat and expected the party to retain a Senate majority, but framed her Senate vote as a personal decision “to stand with country.” She also criticised associations with left-wing commentator Hasan Piker, who has campaigned with El-Sayed.
Rogers welcomed the endorsement, describing himself as “honoured” and praising Stevens’ “courage.” The move comes after weeks of public tension between Stevens and El-Sayed’s campaign, including disputes over an outside advertisement that Stevens characterised as antisemitic and a request that she stay away from El-Sayed’s events.
Stevens’ Endorsement Deepens Democratic Divisions in Michigan:
El-Sayed, a physician and former public health official, told reporters the primary was over and that he was focused on the general election. Some Democrats condemned Stevens’ decision as a betrayal so close to Election Day.
The Michigan contest is one of the most closely watched races in the 2026 midterms and could help determine which party controls the US Senate. Republicans currently hold a slim majority. Rogers, a former congressman, has been campaigning to flip the seat, while El-Sayed has sought to consolidate Democratic support after a hard-fought primary.
Stevens’ cross-party endorsement has injected fresh uncertainty into the final days of a race already marked by deep divisions within Michigan’s Democratic Party. Both campaigns are intensifying outreach to voters as Election Day approaches.