Democrat Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers After Dispute With Abdul El-Sayed

Haley Stevens, who narrowly lost the Democratic US Senate nomination for Michigan to Abdul El-Sayed, announced on Sunday that she was breaking with her party to endorse Republican opponent Mike Rogers. Ms. Stevens revealed her decision in a social media video, following a surprise appearance alongside Mr. Rogers at a Detroit church. "As you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for US Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away," she stated. "And he's right, and that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today. I don't belong in Abdul's campaign." This endorsement comes several months after Mr. El-Sayed, a doctor of Egyptian-American heritage, defeated Ms. Stevens in the Democratic primary. Michigan is poised for a pivotal Senate race on Tuesday, the outcome of which could significantly influence which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

Ms. Stevens and Mr. El-Sayed had originally planned to appear together at a different church in Detroit on Sunday. However, prior to the event, Ms. Stevens demanded that Mr. El-Sayed disavow a recent advertisement that linked rising US prices to American military support for Israel. Jewish-American organizations condemned the advertisement as anti-Semitic and offensive. Mr. El-Sayed maintained that the advertisement was created by a third party and that his campaign had no involvement in its production or content. In response to Ms. Stevens's demand, he accused her of rehashing the primary election and declared she was no longer welcome in his campaign.

Mr. El-Sayed, a progressive candidate who received an endorsement from Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, has been a vocal critic of Israel and has characterized its actions in Gaza as genocide. He advocates for the cessation of US military aid to Israel. Should he win, he would be the first Muslim to serve in Congress. Ms. Stevens, an establishment Democrat, is a staunch supporter of Israel. US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Mr. Rogers, welcomed Ms. Stevens's decision. "Her following is huge, and the level of respect from the people of Michigan, especially our African American and Jewish populations, is virtually unparalleled," Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. "Haley said what few people are willing to say. She showed great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the great people of Michigan with what she did."

In recent weeks, Mr. El-Sayed has faced intense Islamophobic attacks and mockery regarding his name. Mr. Trump and Mr. Rogers have alleged ties between Mr. El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as other armed groups in the Middle East, claims he has consistently denied. In her brief video message, Ms. Stevens affirmed that she would continue to be a "very proud Democrat" but expressed her belief that Mr. El-Sayed's campaign did not embody the values she felt Michigan should represent. "Who we are as Michiganders is not hate, and is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now," she concluded.