Democrats Turn on Haley Stevens After Mike Rogers Endorsement

Democratic Representative Haley Stevens faced intense criticism from senior party figures and her own staff after endorsing Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the endorsement a "despicable betrayal," while Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel Jr. declared Stevens was no longer a member of the party.

Many of Stevens' staff members, including her chief of staff, resigned in protest. Stevens endorsed Rogers two days before Election Day at a Detroit church, following her loss in the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed had previously made clear that he was no longer welcome in his campaign, and Stevens said she was doing so to support El-Sayed.

Schumer, who had previously supported Stevens in the primary, strongly condemned her decision, reaffirming his support for El-Sayed. Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with Schumer, has committed or spent over $43 million on ads in the Michigan race. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and other Democrats rallied behind El-Sayed, emphasizing the importance of the election in preventing Trump and his enablers like Rogers from taking control of the Senate.

Stevens defended her endorsement as a personal choice, stating that she still loves the party and will continue to support Democratic candidates up and down the ballot.