Rep. Haley Stevens cites 'anger' after backing GOP rival in Michigan Senate race

Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan endorsed Republican Sen. Mike Rogers on Sunday, a sharp reversal from her previous support for Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens appeared on CNN to address the decision, which was reported by The Washington Post as having been made within hours of her last public contact with El-Sayed. The Post noted that a friend of Stevens said she had texted about attending a church service with El-Sayed on Saturday evening, just before she announced her switch to the Republican candidate on Sunday.

During the interview, anchor Anderson Cooper pressed Stevens on what specifically changed between Saturday night and her announcement. Stevens did not provide a single defining event but pointed to growing tensions within the Democratic primary. She described El-Sayed as becoming increasingly frustrated and cited his association with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker as a point of disagreement. "Abdul has been getting angrier and angrier. I was trying to help, and I endorsed him. That ad was very painful," Stevens said.

Stevens argued that her decision was meant to broaden the appeal of the Democratic ticket. "There are so many Democrats who want to vote for our Democratic nominee. And they're just being told, hey, this is a party you don't belong in, or this is a campaign you don't belong in," she explained. Cooper asked if El-Sayed's advice for her not to attend a service with Rep. Jim Clyburn influenced her choice, but Stevens did not answer that question directly. Instead, she referenced statements made by Cenk Uygur, the uncle of streamer Hasan Piker.

Stevens, who finished as one of the top two candidates in the Democratic primary, seemed to minimize her role in the shift. "I'm just one person here. All right, that's it," she told Cooper. She maintained that her love for the Democratic Party remained strong and that her goal was to help Democrats secure a majority in the U.S. Senate.

The endorsement drew immediate criticism from Democrats who view Rogers as aligned with President Donald Trump. Stevens said she wanted to ensure Democrats could win control of the Senate, a goal for which the Michigan race is considered essential. Her move places a senior Democratic figure in the camp of the Republican incumbent in a state where every Senate seat is considered competitive for the 2026 midterms.

The timeline of the switch remains a focal point for party members. Stevens had been a leading contender for the Democratic nomination, giving her endorsement substantial weight among voters. Her comments on Sunday emphasized the emotional toll of the primary season, describing the process as a "weight off my shoulders." She did not specify a final trigger for the change but continued to frame her support for Rogers as a strategy to keep Democratic voters engaged in the general election.