Former President Barack Obama, center, campaigning with Jocelyn Benson and Abdul E-Sayed
Michigan Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens has stunned the political world by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers in the Senate race.
Stevens narrowly lost the Democratic Senate primary to Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in August, after a bitter campaign that featured more than $30 million in spending by groups affiliated with the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC supporting Stevens.
Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after the primary, but the two have barely spoken since, and have not campaigned together. Their biggest disagreement has been over Israel, with Stevens a strong supporter of the country and El-Sayed a vocal critic of its war in Gaza and U.S. military assistance.
Things escalated Wednesday when Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, told The Detroit News that he would vote for Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers, citing concerns about El-Sayed’s positions on Israel. Still, Stevens appeared on CNN to reaffirm that she would vote for El-Sayed, but the vibes certainly seemed off, so much so that the El-Sayed campaign asked her to stay away from his campaign, canceling a joint appearance planned for Sunday.
On Friday, Stevens issued a lengthy statement demanding that El-Sayed condemn an advertisement from Cenk Uygur’s Rebellion PAC, an independent progressive group supporting his candidacy. The ad featured grocery shoppers nonsensically blaming Israel for high grocery prices at home. In fact, it was a recycled ad Uygur cut for his own quixotic 2024 presidential bid (did you know that was a thing?). Stevens called the ad antisemitic and accused El-Sayed of blaming Israel for Michigan’s economic problems.
More bizarrely, Stevens demanded that El-Sayed remove an ad featuring Tucker Carlson criticizing Rogers, claiming it disrespected the state’s Black community. (Endorsing Rogers, on the other hand, somehow honors that community?) On Saturday, El-Sayed explicitly rejected that Rebellion PAC ad, saying, “I do not agree with the contents of that ad.”
Stevens seemed to be okay with things at that time. Prominent LGBTQ+ writer Charlotte Clymer says she actually spoke to Stevens Saturday. “Feeling a bit absurd in pointing out the obvious and being far kinder than I should have been, I reminded her that the outcome of this senate race will be viewed in the light of a future Supreme Court vacancy, and I expressed a hope that all of us understand the stakes,” she wrote on X. “She assured me she’s supporting Dr. El-Sayed, sent me a video of a recent speech she gave blasting Mike Rogers and said this: ‘Still stands. I promise.’”
She added: “Whatever other political differences we have, she has always made it clear to me she would stand with LGBTQ people. It was a red line she refused to cross. Instead, she has made the inexplicable decision to endorse a man who views LGBTQ Americans as second-class citizens unworthy of full equality.”
Stevens’ staff has been resigning en masse.gu
El-Sayed responds:
This will have zero impact on the race. It has effectively ended Stevens’ career as a Democrat.
She’ll likely end up on Fox News as one of those “the party left me” tokens they love so much.
Update:
- Why China's EV Industry Should Honor Trump As 'Salesman Of The Year' ›
- Senate Turnover May Be Within Reach As Democratic Candidates Surge ›
- Michigan Delivers A Hard Lesson For AIPAC, But Will They Ever Learn? ›
- Impeach Bobby? House Democrat Vows Removal Of 'Dangerous' RFK Jr ›
- Michigan Democrats Urging Unity After El-Sayed Wins Close And Costly Primary ›
- Haley Stevens defends endorsement switch to Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed ›
- Rep. Haley Stevens is no longer a Michigan Democratic Party member, chair says - The Washington Post ›
- Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens endorses Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan Senate - POLITICO ›
- Democrat Haley Stevens endorses Republican in Michigan Senate race ›
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