El-Sayed campaign reports record single-day fundraising haul after Stevens endorses Republican rival

The campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said it brought in more than $2.4 million in a single day, a record fundraising total for the Michigan race as the contest enters its final stretch.

According to the campaign, the Sunday haul came from more than 65,000 donors, with contributions averaging $36.74. Nearly 29,600 of those who gave were donating to the campaign for the first time.

The surge in contributions followed an announcement Sunday from Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., who said she was endorsing Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Her decision capped months of turmoil within the state party after she lost her primary earlier this year to El-Sayed, the more progressive candidate in that contest.

"As Michiganders head to the polls, the momentum behind Abdul's campaign has never been stronger," campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak said in a statement after the final-hour cash haul.

Stevens, who was viewed as the more moderate, establishment-backed candidate in her primary against El-Sayed, said she remains "a very proud Democrat" who loves Michigan. But in a video message posted to social media over the weekend, she said she could not support her party's nominee, pointing to his backing from Hasan Piker, a left-wing political streamer.

"Hey Michigan, as you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away and he's right. And that's why I'm endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today," Stevens said in the video posted on X.

The endorsement of Rogers, who has the backing of President Donald Trump, drew immediate condemnation from Democratic leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the move "a despicable betrayal" and said his caucus remains united behind El-Sayed.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel also criticized Stevens, saying she had "abandoned everything she claims to care about."

El-Sayed downplayed the endorsement on Sunday, telling reporters that he does not think about Stevens or Rogers and that his attention is on voters and policy.

In recent months, El-Sayed has also sought to put distance between himself and Piker, as the streamer's national profile has grown and his past statements have drawn increased scrutiny. Those statements include remarks described as antisemitic and a claim that "America deserved 9/11."