Michigan Democratic Party leaders have cut ties with U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens after she endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, breaking with her own party just two days before Election Day in a closely watched Michigan Senate race.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel announced Sunday that Stevens was no longer a member of the state party and would not be in the future. His announcement came shortly after the congresswoman appeared alongside Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit and publicly endorsed his campaign against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
“Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future,” Hertel wrote in a statement posted to social media.
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Stevens, who represents Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed in August. Although she initially pledged to support the Democratic nominee, tensions between the two escalated during the final days of the campaign.
In a video announcing her endorsement of Rogers, Stevens pointed to her deteriorating relationship with El-Sayed as the reason for her decision.
“Our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he’s right,” Stevens said. “And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
The endorsement followed several days of public disagreements over El-Sayed’s comments about Israel and an advertisement from an outside political group that Stevens described as antisemitic.
Stevens had demanded that El-Sayed publicly condemn the advertisement, which linked U.S. military support for Israel to rising grocery costs. El-Sayed’s campaign maintained that the advertisement was not affiliated with his campaign.
The dispute also complicated plans for a Sunday church appearance intended to demonstrate Democratic unity before the election. Stevens had been expected to attend alongside El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina. Instead, she appeared at a separate Detroit church service with Rogers.
El-Sayed, meanwhile, attended another church service with Democratic officials, including U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan.
Speaking with reporters, El-Sayed dismissed the controversy and said his attention remained on Michigan voters and the issues affecting their daily lives, including education costs, health care and affordability.
The fallout from Stevens’ endorsement extended beyond the state party. Her longtime chief of staff, Justin German, announced his resignation, saying he was shocked and heartbroken by her decision. Other members of her congressional staff also reportedly resigned.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also condemned Stevens’ decision, while Michigan Democrats continued to rally behind El-Sayed.
Stevens, however, maintained that she remained a Democrat despite the party’s announcement. In her endorsement video, she described herself as a proud Democrat while explaining why she had decided to support Rogers.
Rogers, a former Republican congressman and Trump’s endorsed candidate, is challenging El-Sayed for the Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The Michigan contest is among the closely watched Senate races in the country, with control of the chamber at stake. Voters are scheduled to make their decision Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Stevens’ endorsement places her at odds with the Democratic leadership she has worked alongside in Congress and marks a dramatic break with the party’s effort to unite behind its nominee in the final days of the campaign.
