Michigan Democrat Haley Stevens Faces Backlash for Endorsing Republican Mike Rogers

Tensions are mounting within the Democratic Party after Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens announced her decision to endorse Republican candidate Mike Rogers instead of her own party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, in the state's Senate race. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has condemned the move as a “disgusting betrayal.”

Michigan's Senate seat is considered crucial for Democrats seeking to regain control of the upper chamber. Most opinion polls on Monday showed El-Sayed holding a narrow lead over Rogers, making Stevens' decision an unprecedented source of division within the party.

Stevens had sought the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat but lost to El-Sayed in the party's primary election.

El-Sayed, who has increasingly become a prominent national political figure, is a vocal critic of the US alliance with Israel. He has called for an end to American arms sales to Tel Aviv. If elected, he would become the first Muslim senator in US history.

Reacting to Stevens' endorsement of Rogers, El-Sayed said he was not concerned about the decision.

“I'm not bothered by this. At the end of the day, I'm not thinking about Haley. I'm thinking about the other 9,999,998 people who are not those two,” he said, referring to Stevens and Rogers.

He later added that he was more interested in the principles involved than the politics surrounding the controversy.

In an interview with CNN on Sunday night, Stevens explained why she had decided to support Rogers.

“I woke up this morning with clarity and renewed energy. I followed what my heart was telling me to do,” she said.

However, Stevens said she still wanted Democrats to retain control of the Senate.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly criticised her decision, describing it as a “disgusting betrayal.”

Meanwhile, Virg Rollins, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party's Black Caucus, said Stevens had lost her way by openly presenting herself as a party defector.

Despite facing criticism from within her own party, Stevens received praise from President Donald Trump.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Haley said something that very few people have the courage to say.”