Stevens endorses GOP rival Rogers in Michigan Senate race

Michigan’s Senate race has entered a chaotic phase. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) endorsed Republican challenger Mike Rogers on Sunday.

The move came hours after Stevens planned to attend a church service with Democratic primary rival Abdul El-Sayed. A longtime friend told The Washington Post that Stevens texted about attending the event as late as Saturday evening. By Sunday, she had announced support for the Republican candidate.

Stevens appeared on CNN on Sunday and faced repeated questions from anchor Anderson Cooper about the sudden shift. She cited growing frustration with El-Sayed’s tone as a primary driver. “Abdul has been getting angrier and angrier,” Stevens said. “I was trying to help, and I endorsed him. That ad was very painful.”

She also pointed to disagreements over El-Sayed’s association with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Stevens referenced statements made by Piker’s uncle, media critic Cenk Uygur. When Cooper asked if a specific event triggered the change between Saturday night and Sunday morning, Stevens did not offer a concrete answer. She also avoided directly confirming whether El-Sayed’s advice against attending a service with Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) played a role.

Stevens minimized her influence during the interview, despite being one of the top two contenders for the Democratic nomination. “I’m just one person here. All right, that’s it,” she told Cooper. Democrats have criticized the endorsement, citing Rogers’ close ties to former President Donald Trump and his past positions on key issues.

Stevens said she still supports the Democratic Party and wants the party to win control of the Senate. The Michigan race is considered a key battleground for that goal.