Haley Stevens endorses Mike Rogers, rejects Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate race

Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan announced Sunday that she is endorsing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers, just under 48 hours before Election Day. In a short video posted to social media, Stevens said Abdul El‑Sayed told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign and that she would stay away, so she is backing Rogers instead. The endorsement came after Stevens appeared with Rogers at a “Souls to the Polls” event at a Detroit church.

Stevens had spent months praising the Democratic ticket and had been a vocal supporter of the party’s Senate hopefuls. Her relationship with El‑Sayed soured after the primary, when she criticized his outreach to Jewish and Black voters and questioned his ties to controversial streamer Hasan Piker. In August, El‑Sayed tried to distance his campaign from Piker’s remarks about Jews and Israel, but did not fully disavow the streamer. The tension grew when Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, publicly said he would vote for Rogers. Stevens later told a TV audience she still intended to back the Democratic nominee, but her endorsement of Rogers marked a sharp reversal.

El‑Sayed responded at the same church event, saying he does not think about Stevens and that voters do not either. He urged people to focus on everyday concerns – school quality, food security, and medical bills – rather than personal feuds. He also rejected a recent ad by Young Turks host Cenk Uygur that blamed Israel for rising grocery prices, insisting his campaign had no role in the spot. Stevens, meanwhile, called out the ad, saying it unfairly linked Michigan families’ cost‑of‑living struggles to “killing Palestinians.” She also noted she does not stand with Piker, underscoring her break with El‑Sayed’s campaign.

The endorsement could reshape the final stretch of the Michigan Senate race. Democrats now face a divided front as a sitting member of Congress backs the GOP challenger. Analysts say Stevens’ move may sway moderate voters who respect her record, while also demoralizing some of the Democratic base that had supported her in the primary. With only two days left, both campaigns will likely intensify outreach to undecided voters, hoping to lock in the narrow margins that have defined Michigan elections in recent cycles.