Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate Race

What changed

Haley Stevens, a Democratic congresswoman who lost Michigan’s Democratic Senate nomination to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, one day before voting in the 2026 midterm election.

Stevens appeared with Rogers at a church and said she no longer belonged in El-Sayed’s campaign. She said El-Sayed had told her she was not welcome, after the two clashed over an advert linking Israel to high food prices.

Why it matters

This turns a party quarrel into a visible break at the worst possible moment for Democrats. Michigan’s Senate race is among the closest contests on Tuesday’s ballot, and the result could help decide which party controls the Senate for the next two years.

The immediate effect is political symbolism with uncertain electoral weight. Stevens is a sitting Democrat backing the Republican nominee, while Democratic leaders are closing ranks around El-Sayed. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer publicly reaffirmed support for El-Sayed, and Michigan party chair Curtis Hertel accused Stevens of abandoning the values she claims to support.

Rogers called the endorsement courageous. El-Sayed dismissed the dispute and said he was focused on problems facing Michiganders. Whether Stevens’s decision changes turnout, persuades voters or affects the result remains unknown.