Haley Stevens Backs Mike Rogers and Triggers Democratic Backlash

A dramatic political reversal by Michigan Democratic Representative Haley Stevens has intensified divisions within her party ahead of the US midterm elections. After losing the Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, Stevens endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, November 1, drawing criticism from Democratic leaders and raising questions about the circumstances behind her decision.

The endorsement surprised colleagues because Stevens had previously criticized Rogers, comparing his political agenda to Donald Trump's and describing it as extreme and corrupt. She had also publicly supported El-Sayed following the August primary.

The dispute escalated after an outside group's advertisement criticized US support for Israel and connected it to rising living costs. Stevens had indicated she would participate in an El-Sayed campaign event if he condemned the advertisement. His campaign subsequently withdrew her invitation.

The political fallout also benefited El-Sayed's fundraising operation. According to his campaign, the candidate raised more than $2.4 million on Sunday, setting a fundraising record during the final days of the campaign. More than 26,000 people reportedly made their first contributions that day.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Stevens's decision and reaffirmed Democratic support for El-Sayed.

"Senate Democrats are united in our support for Abdul El-Sayed, because we know he will fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan, unlike Mike Rogers, who is a tool of Donald Trump and billionaire donors," Schumer said in a social media statement.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also criticized the endorsement, while New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani argued that the decision undermined working-class voters.

"Haley Stevens just betrayed them by endorsing the very Republican she said she wanted to run against," Mamdani said.

Stevens struggled to explain her decision during a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper on Sunday evening. She maintained that her endorsement reflected her personal political judgment rather than an attempt to influence the broader election.

"I'm just casting my one vote this way," Stevens told Cooper.

She also rejected the suggestion that she intended to provoke fellow Democrats.

"I am not trying to upset anyone," Stevens said.

During the interview, Cooper repeatedly questioned whether the El-Sayed campaign's decision to disinvite her had influenced her endorsement. Stevens declined to provide a direct explanation at one point, leaving several seconds of silence during the broadcast.

On Monday, Stevens defended her position in an interview with conservative commentator Scott Jennings, comparing her treatment within the Democratic Party to that of Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who has frequently broken with party positions, particularly regarding Israel.

"You see a Democrat from Pennsylvania, you know, his name's a lightning rod in the party. His name's Fetterman," Stevens told Jennings.

She argued that both lawmakers faced similar criticism for their political positions.

"They say the same thing about him," she added.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel responded by declaring that Stevens no longer represented the party and would not be welcomed back.

"Obviously there are sour grapes from the election, but there is no reasonable explanation for this. I have known Haley Stevens for a long time, and I know what she has fought for in her career, and this is the antithesis of all of that," Hertel said in a video shared by Detroit journalist Sam Robinson.

Representative Debbie Dingell dismissed the controversy as a distraction from economic concerns facing Michigan voters, particularly the cost of living.

Meanwhile, former Michigan governor Jim Blanchard described an uncomfortable interaction involving Stevens and her fiancé, Jason Turkish, during a dinner with the couple on Friday evening. Blanchard told Gongwer News Service that Turkish appeared to pressure Stevens over her political position.

"He was working her over. The way he was saying it was, 'Everyone is disappointed in you,'" Blanchard said.

Turkish, a 39-year-old disability rights lawyer, is Jewish and active in pro-Israel advocacy. He had announced that he intended to vote for Rogers, citing El-Sayed's criticism of Israel. The couple became engaged in August and plans to marry next summer.

Jordan Acker, who described himself as a friend of Stevens, claimed on X that Turkish had taken her phone, preventing him from contacting her. Turkish denied the allegation, saying Stevens had chosen to switch off her device. He subsequently made his social media posts private.

A former Stevens staff member also criticized Turkish, accusing him of damaging the congresswoman's political future and creating a hostile environment for employees. Several members of Stevens's congressional staff resigned following her endorsement.

Charlotte Clymer, a Democratic activist who said she had considered Stevens a friend for several years, expressed disbelief at the congresswoman's decision. Clymer said Stevens had previously assured her by text message on Saturday that she continued supporting El-Sayed.

She described the endorsement as a dramatic departure from the lawmaker's previous political positions, particularly her support for LGBTQ+ rights, labor unions and abortion access.

Republican candidate Mike Rogers welcomed Stevens's endorsement during an interview with Fox News on Monday.

"It was nothing but courageous," Rogers said, rejecting criticism from Democrats who characterized her decision as disloyal.

Former President Donald Trump also praised Stevens on Truth Social, describing her as a highly respected Democrat. At a campaign rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, Trump encouraged her to consider joining the Republican Party.

"I'd love her to join the Republican Party, actually, I think that could happen maybe. But she showed great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the great people of Michigan," Trump said.

Stevens continued to face demands for political accountability, including calls for her removal from the House Democratic caucus. Meanwhile, the Senate contest between Rogers and El-Sayed remained a central focus of Michigan's election campaign ahead of Tuesday's midterm voting.

Amid the political controversy, Stevens also circulated wedding save-the-date invitations through iCloud calendar notifications on Monday, according to a campaign reporter.