Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday amid Democratic infighting that has roiled the Michigan Senate race.
The endorsement came on the heels of Stevens’ appearance alongside Rogers at Detroit’s Perfecting Church, where Fox News confirmed she attended a service. Stevens lost in the primary to fellow Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, and has been critical of his unwillingness to condemn the overt antisemitism of some of his supporters.
“Hey Michigan, as you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul [El-Sayed] 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’m endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today,” Stevens said in a video posted on X.
Stevens said she remains “a very proud Democrat” who loves Michigan but could not support El-Sayed, citing his backing from political streamer Hasan Piker.
“I’m honored to have Haley Stevens support today. I’m honored to have earned that vote,” Rogers told reporters gathered outside the church. “This is more a statement about standing together against hate and the future of this state and this country than it is anything else,” he added.
The appearance came after Stevens was disinvited from a planned church event with El-Sayed, the man who narrowly defeated her in Michigan’s August Democratic primary.
The reversal left Stevens at the same church as Rogers, El-Sayed’s Republican opponent.
Stevens has pressed El-Sayed to condemn an outside group’s ad linking U.S. support for Israel to higher grocery prices, which she called antisemitic.
El-Sayed said the ad was not produced by his campaign and that he disagreed with its contents.
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., who helped organize the planned appearance, said Stevens was asked to skip it after the dispute became a distraction and upset the church’s bishop.
FORMER RIVAL DODGES FULL-THROATED EL-SAYED ENDORSEMENT AFTER BITTER SENATE PRIMARY
El-Sayed’s campaign also asked Stevens to stay away from its remaining events.
Stevens fiancé, Jason Turkish, has previously endorsed Rogers and appeared at a Rogers campaign event, saying he could not support El-Sayed because of his positions on Israel.
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The dispute has put a spotlight on Democratic divisions in a close Senate race that could help determine control of the chamber.
