In an unexpected twist in the Michigan race that could affect control of the U.S. Senate, Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens has endorsed Republican nominee Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the state's heavily contested Senate race.
“I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign,” Stevens said in a video posted to social media.
The congresswoman, who represents parts of the Detroit suburbs, lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary in August. While the two politicians appeared at events together in the days following, the goodwill quickly evaporated. In a recent CNN appearance, she urged El-Sayed to denounce an outside advertisement but said she still planned to vote for the Democratic nominee.
Stevens’ declaration – which essentially is that she would
rather support a MAGA Republican who’s going to be a rubber stamp for President Donald Trump than a fellow Democrat – is unbelievably immature. It confirms that voters made the right choice by not selecting her in the primary election and will likely tank her career as a Democrat in the years to come. It was an unwise decision that could make a real difference in the 2026 midterms for the state and the country and is unforgivable.
Democrat Haley Stevens endorsing a MAGA candidate is politically immature
In the endorsement video, Stevens noted that education is on the ballot as a reason for endorsing Rogers. That’s pretty rich, considering Michigan Republicans tried to cut $1.4 billion from the state’s education budget in 2025.
Stevens also tried to blame her betrayal on El-Sayed's campaigning with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Never mind the fact that Republicans have made El-Sayed's ethnicity and religion the center of their attacks against him, with the president and the GOP using the candidate's full name – Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed – as a way to disparage him. Trump went as far as to call El-Sayed a "jihadist."
Does Stevens also endorse that? It sure seems like it.
Stevens endorses a man she called 'another rubber stamp' for Trump
The real issue with the Stevens campaign is that she got her feelings hurt – that El-Sayed’s team disinvited her from campaign events in the days before the Nov. 3 elections.
She has decided instead to support a candidate who, in her own words, will be a "rubber stamp" for Trump's "dangerous agenda." In that same social media post, Stevens wrote, "We can't afford to give MAGA another seat in November."
It would appear she's fine with Michigan voters affording that now, even if they might not be able to afford groceries and gas prices brought on by Trump's agenda.
It is completely unbecoming of Stevens as an elected official, and voters should not take her seriously.
She is already feeling the aftermath of aligning herself with MAGA in the form of staffers who quit.
Michigan voters should remember that when Stevens comes crawling back to Democrats after the GOP is done using her in their hate-fueled campaign.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on Bluesky: @sarapequeno.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stevens is embracing MAGA because her feelings got hurt | Opinion
