Michigan Democrat switches to GOP candidate hours before vote

Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for the United States Senate in Michigan on Sunday. This move occurred less than 48 hours before Election Day. She had previously committed to supporting her primary opponent, Abdul El-Sayed.

The shift happened abruptly. According to CNN, Stevens told a key Democratic ally on Saturday night that she remained with El-Sayed. By Sunday, she appeared with Rogers at a church in Detroit to announce her new support. The change in position took place roughly 12 hours after her reported assurances.

Stevens offered several reasons for the reversal. She cited El-Sayed's association with streamer Hasan Piker and political commentator Cenk Uygur. She also pointed to an outside advertisement linking Michigan's cost of living to US financial support for Israel. The ad drew criticism for using antisemitic tropes, though El-Sayed disagreed with its framing.

During an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Stevens struggled to identify a specific turning point. She stated that nothing had changed for her personally. Cooper noted that she had previously called Rogers a potential rubber stamp for President Donald Trump. He also asked why she had not raised these concerns earlier.

Criticism from Democratic leaders intensified on Monday. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Stevens betrayed the working class by backing the Republican she intended to run against. He highlighted that healthcare, rent, and bills are on the ballot Tuesday.

Leaders of the Democratic National Committee's Jewish-American Council also challenged Stevens. Chair Adam Goldwyn and Vice Chair Steph Newton acknowledged disagreements with El-Sayed over Israel. They warned against political exploitation of those concerns. They noted that Rogers' campaign had its own controversies involving antisemitism, which Stevens did not raise before endorsing him.

Staff members resigned from Stevens' office following the announcement. Representatives Jamie Raskin and Debbie Dingell expressed disbelief and questioned the timing. El-Sayed told reporters on Sunday that he is focused on Michigan voters rather than the endorsement dispute.