Michigan Democrat Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers for Senate

Representative Haley Stevens, a Michigan Democrat who lost the August Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on 1 November 2026. In a video posted to X, Stevens said she does not belong in El-Sayed's campaign and that the Democratic nominee is not reflecting what Michiganders are. She stated she remains a proud Democrat while endorsing Rogers for the Senate seat.

The endorsement came after Stevens released a statement on 30 October calling on El-Sayed to condemn an advertisement from an outside political action committee. El-Sayed's campaign had asked her not to attend a joint church event on 1 November. Instead, Stevens and her fiancé attended a service at Perfecting Church in Detroit with Rogers and his wife. Rogers said at a press availability that he was proud to earn her vote and noted he was glad he was not running against her.

Michigan's Senate race is among the closest in the country. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority. A Democratic gain in Michigan would be one of the seats required for any path to Senate control. Late polling had shown El-Sayed with a narrow lead before the endorsement. The practical effect on turnout among Stevens' primary supporters remains unmeasured; Rogers has appealed to those voters since August.

Stevens won the Democratic primary against El-Sayed in a contest marked by public disagreements over campaign tactics and outside spending. Her decision to cross party lines two days before election day is unusual for a sitting member of Congress who had sought the same nomination. Democratic officials in Michigan described the move as a break with the party's nominee. El-Sayed's campaign reported a large fundraising day on 1 November following the endorsement.

The sequence is specific. Stevens lost the primary in August. She issued a public criticism of an outside ad on 30 October. She was disinvited from a joint event. She then appeared with Rogers at a church service and released the endorsement video. Rogers accepted the endorsement publicly the same day.

No other Democratic members of Congress have followed Stevens in endorsing Rogers. The Michigan Democratic Party has continued to support El-Sayed. The endorsement does not change the ballot; it changes the public signal sent to a portion of primary voters in the final 48 hours.

Election day is 3 November. Early voting has already closed in most Michigan jurisdictions. The remaining votes will be cast on election day or through remaining absentee ballots. The Stevens endorsement is now part of the final information environment for those voters.