Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) broke with her own party Sunday, endorsing Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate race.
Stevens posted the endorsement on X after appearing alongside Rogers earlier that day at a black church in Detroit. The move marks a reversal for Stevens, who had previously criticized Rogers sharply on policy grounds.
In past remarks, Stevens said Rogers would simply defer to President Trump on economic matters. “Mike Rogers has shown that he’s just going to go along with whatever Donald Trump does. He’s not going to speak out when erratic tariffs are impacting our auto industry,” she said at the time. “Rogers is a nightmare.”
Despite that history, Stevens has now thrown her support behind Rogers instead of her own party’s nominee, El-Sayed.
President Trump responded to the endorsement by inviting Stevens to join the Republican Party. Speaking to a rally crowd in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, Trump praised her for saying “what few people are willing to say” and referred to El-Sayed as a “jihadist.”
Stewart Calls Out the Reversal
The endorsement drew a pointed response from comedian Jon Stewart, who addressed it on Monday’s broadcast of The Daily Show. Stewart noted that Stevens had previously described a “shared goal” with El-Sayed of defeating Rogers, and he questioned what had changed.
Stewart played the earlier news clips of Stevens criticizing Rogers before reacting with disbelief.
Is her car in a ditch? Is she endorsing Mike Rogers after getting in a car accident? Real quick, before I lose consciousness, I am endorsing the nightmare… This is like the most diabolical episode of ‘Fargo’ I’ve ever seen.
Stewart went on to argue that Stevens had not explained her support for Rogers on the merits, only her apparent frustration with El-Sayed.
That says why you’re mad at Abdul, but not why you’re for Rogers. Rogers is — hold on, let me find a word. A nightmare, who is against every principle that you’ve worked for your entire career. I mean, at least say you were visited by three ghosts who convinced you that it turns out people don’t need health insurance. This can’t really be about getting your feelings hurt.
The endorsement and the backlash it has triggered add a volatile new element to an already closely contested Senate race in Michigan, with Election Day approaching and party lines in the state visibly fraying.
Add comment