Haley Stevens, the Democrat who lost Michigan’s Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, stood with Republican nominee Mike Rogers two days before Election Day and asked voters to pick him instead.
Quick Take
- Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers at a Detroit church on November 1, 2026, two days before the Michigan Senate election
- Stevens said Abdul El-Sayed told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign
- She called herself a “proud Democrat” even while backing the Republican candidate
- Rogers called her endorsement an act of “courage”
- Stevens’ chief of staff resigned and threw his support behind El-Sayed instead
A Primary Rival Turns Campaign Trail Ally
Haley Stevens lost Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed earlier this year. On November 1, 2026, she stood beside Republican nominee Mike Rogers at a Detroit church. Two days before Election Day, she told reporters and posted a video announcing she was backing Rogers instead of her own party’s nominee.
Stevens Explains the Break With El-Sayed
In her video, Stevens said El-Sayed told her she was no longer welcome around his campaign. She said, “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 insisted the endorsement did not change her party loyalty. She described herself as a “proud Democrat” while standing with the Republican candidate, framing her choice as personal rather than a full political switch. Rogers welcomed the support outside the church, calling Stevens’ decision an act of “courage” in front of reporters.
Democratic Fallout Spreads Fast
The reaction inside Stevens’ own operation came quickly. Her chief of staff, Justin German, announced he and other staffers were resigning and throwing their support behind El-Sayed instead. The split showed how raw the primary fight had become, with aides picking sides just hours before Michigan polls opened for the final stretch.
The dispute reportedly touched on accusations tied to hate, antisemitism, and rhetoric around Israel and campus speech. Politico reported the feud partly centered on disagreements over Israel-related rhetoric, with both campaigns pushing back on claims the fight was rooted in religion or ethnicity.
What a Last-Minute Endorsement Can Actually Change
Research on political endorsements shows they rarely swing a general election by themselves. Studies find cross-party endorsements mostly reach undecided or disengaged voters, not committed partisans on either side. Effects also tend to fade quickly, often within two weeks of the announcement.
Timing cuts both ways here. Stevens delivered her endorsement less than 48 hours before voting closed, leaving little room for either campaign to fully explain or counter it. That tight window likely means the moment lands harder as a headline than as a measured vote shift, though both campaigns treated it as a big deal.
President Trump weighed in publicly, praising Rogers and joking he would welcome Stevens into the Republican Party. The comment, paired with Rogers’ own remarks, shows how fast both sides moved to use the moment to their advantage in the campaign’s closing hours.
Sources:
nbcnews.com, bbc.com, politico.com, rgj.com, cbsnews.com
