Haley Stevens defends endorsement of Mike Rogers amid backlash
Haley Stevens defends endorsement of Mike Rogers amid backlash
Kelsie Manor Tue, November 3, 2026 at 10:53 AM UTC
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens responded to backlash she received following her recent endorsement of GOP candidate for Senate Mike Rogers, which came as a shock to many, including Rogers himself.
Democrat Haley Stevens endorses Republican rival Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate
While many Democratic leaders have called the endorsement of Rogers a "betrayal," in a social media post Monday, Stevens called the choice "a decision of conscience."
"My decision to withdraw my endorsement of Abdul El-Sayed and support Mike Rogers has angered many Democrats. I understand why. But it was not impulsive, and it was not made for me by anyone else," she wrote.
Stevens, who currently represents Michigan's 11th congressional district, narrowly lost the Democrats nomination for Senate to El-Sayed in August. Speaking to members of the press Sunday, Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel said the move suggests Stevens "lied to members of our delegation” and went “against every value that she said she’s gonna fight for."
Stevens reiterated that while she is a "proud Democrat" who believes in a woman's right to choose, in organized labor and healthcare reform, she felt "shut out" by the party following her primary loss to El-Sayed.
"I endorsed Abdul. I put the party first and hoped we could move forward together," she said. "Instead, I was shut out. The endorsement was welcomed; the people behind it seemed to be forgotten. There was little effort to listen to the voters who supported me or bridge the real disagreements our primary had exposed."
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Stevens also claimed that offensive ads were part of the reason why she felt she could no longer endorse El-Sayed.
"One (advertisement), from a group supporting Abdul, tied the cost of groceries to America’s support for Israel. Another, from Abdul’s own campaign, featured Tucker Carlson, whose racist and anti-Black rhetoric has no place in a Democratic campaign. I heard directly from Black voters, Jewish voters and others about how deeply these messages hurt. They deserved to be heard, not dismissed," Stevens said.
The post by Stevens said that by the time El-Sayed publicly disagreed with the ad, she had already been told that she was no longer welcome in his campaign.
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And, like many of El-Sayed's critics, Stevens pointed to his affiliation with Hasan Piker, a popular leftist personality and content creator.
"Abdul chose to campaign alongside Hasan Piker, whose rhetoric about Jewish Americans has been deeply disturbing. He took Piker to college campuses to tell our youth that Iran is not our enemy. Just days ago, Piker compared efforts to win over Jewish voters in West Bloomfield to canvassing a KKK neighborhood," Stevens said.
El-Sayed condemned Piker's remarks, but Stevens says that "his decision to embrace Piker in the first place raised serious questions about his judgment and his ability to bring people together."
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Stevens also shut down claims that her fiancé played a part in the decision to endorse El-Sayed's opponent in the Senate race.
"That is sexism dressed up as political analysis. My fiancé has his own views. I have mine. I made this decision, and I am proud of it. Do not question my independence simply because you disagree with my conclusion," the post said.
El-Sayed’s primary opponent stuns Democrats by endorsing Republican opponent in Michigan Senate race
The conclusion to endorse a party opposite to her own was no easy decision, according to Stevens.
"Mike Rogers and I disagree on many things. But Michigan has to elect a senator and there is no neutral choice that absolves me of responsibility. Once I concluded that Abdul El-Sayed is not fit to serve in the United States Senate, I had to confront who should," she said.
Rogers told the media Sunday that he got the call just hours earlier and that it was not what he anticipated but that he is “honored” to have Stevens’ support.
"I still believe in the promise of the Democratic party," Stevens wrote at the end of her post. "We can build a stronger, more welcoming, more courageous Democratic Party. And I plan to help lead that effort."
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