Democrat Haley Stevens Flips, Endorses El-Sayed's Republican Opponent Two Days Before Michigan Senate Vote
After losing her party's Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed in August, Rep. Haley Stevens has officially endorsed his Republican opponent Mike Rogers, attending Sunday church services with him in Detroit.
The two were seen separately entering Perfecting Church, a prominent Black church in the city - an extremely unusual move for a sitting Democrat in the closing days of a race her party is fighting to hold. Election Day is Tuesday.
Stevens and El-Sayed had been scheduled to campaign together Sunday at a get-out-the-vote event at another Detroit church with Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), which would have been their first joint public appearance in months, according to MS NOW. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed days after the primary, and they appeared together at a unity breakfast that month, but have not campaigned together since.
The plan went south after Stevens issued a statement calling on El-Sayed to condemn an anti-Israel ad from Rebellion PAC, an outside group not affiliated with his campaign, posted by Cenk Uygur - which blames high grocery prices on U.S. aid to Israel.
In response:
Stevens wrote that the ad "did not invent its argument" and reflected El-Sayed's own rhetoric, and that he could begin his effort to remove money from politics "by getting Israel out of his explanation for everything Michigan cannot afford," MS NOW reported.
On the eve of the eve of the eve of our BIG and important election, a unifying moment has arrived, our democratic nominee for U.S Senate disavows the Rebellion PAC ad made by Hasan Piker's uncle that claims Jews are responsible for America's economic woes. We have learned from... pic.twitter.com/y8BRiV9odX
— Haley Stevens (@HaleyforMI) October 30, 2026
El-Sayed responded, writing that Stevens "seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago." His campaign then asked Stevens to stay away from its events for the rest of the race, a Democratic source told MS NOW on condition of anonymity.
— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) October 30, 2026
After a Saturday rally in Sterling Heights, El-Sayed told MS NOW, "You guys love to play the 'condemn' game," adding that the ad "was not made by me, and I do not agree with the contents of that ad." Stevens answered in a statement that did not name him: "I was glad to see our senate nominee say he does not agree with the content of the vile Rebellion PAC ad which claimed Israel and Jews were to blame for the high costs of groceries."
According to Newsweek, the ad repackages a spot from Uygur's failed 2024 presidential run. In response, El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Roxie Richner said it is "not affiliated in any way with the Abdul for Senate campaign" and that "no one speaks for Abdul but himself and his campaign." DNC chair Jaime Harrison said the ad "doesn't help him," and Uygur wrote on X that anyone who thinks it is antisemitic is "in a cult."
This is a close, key race. According to a WDIV/Detroit News poll by the Glengariff Group, taken Oct. 19 to 22 among 600 likely voters, El-Sayed is sitting at at 51.4%, with a margin of error of 4 points. The Democrat's campaign has been under pressure on other fronts, as we reported when undercover video and when AIPAC pulled back.