A sudden shift in the position of a Democratic congresswoman from Michigan, who decided to endorse the Republican candidate for the Senate in the state, has sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party in the final stretch of the US midterm elections.
In a striking turn of events, Representative Haley Stevens announced on Sunday that she was backing Republican Mike Rogers, who is running in one of the most closely watched races in Tuesday’s midterm elections for Congress.
Democrats’ ability to retain their Michigan Senate seat by electing their candidate, Abdul El-Sayed, is considered crucial to their efforts to wrest control of the chamber from Republicans.
In a video released amid growing tensions with El-Sayed, who defeated her in Michigan’s Democratic primary, Stevens said she was giving “her endorsement to Mike Rogers for the United States Senate.” She later appeared alongside him at a religious service in a Black American church.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the move “a disgraceful betrayal,” at a time when control of the Senate could come down to a single seat.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, commented on Truth Social: “This is huge.” He added that “Haley said what few have the courage to say,” praising her “loyalty” and “courage.”
He also pointed to her influence among Jewish and African American voters.
Stevens and El-Sayed disagree over US policy toward Israel.
In the video released on Sunday, Stevens said there was “no place for her in Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign,” accusing the pro-Palestinian candidate of promoting “hateful” rhetoric.
On Saturday, El-Sayed had said he did not want the centrist congresswoman to attend a campaign event scheduled for the following day.
Asked about the split, El-Sayed, who would become the first Muslim senator in the United States if elected, said he was not “thinking about Haley Stevens,” adding that he was “less interested in party politics than in public policy.”
The votes of Jewish and Black voters in Michigan, who traditionally support Democrats, could prove decisive.
Before this unexpected development, opinion polls had given El-Sayed a narrow lead over Rogers.
The Michigan Democratic Party announced on Sunday that it had expelled Haley Stevens, while calls grew for her removal from the Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives. Stevens, however, insisted that she remained “a proud Democrat.”
The shockwaves were reflected in reactions from several Democratic figures, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who denounced the move as a “betrayal.” Senator Bernie Sanders also backed the decision by Stevens’ chief of staff and several other aides to resign.
Speaking to AFP in Detroit, El-Sayed supporters unanimously condemned Stevens’ move, saying it strengthened Rogers’ chances in the Senate race in their state.
Malik Shabazz, a Black rights activist, described it as “an act of sabotage,” but said he remained confident that Abdul El-Sayed would win.
Stevens appears to have made her decision sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. She offered no explanation when CNN repeatedly asked what had prompted her change of position.
The dispute points to deep divisions within the Democratic Party over US support for Israel, an issue that is likely to follow the American left into the 2028 presidential primaries.
