Democrat Haley Stevens endorses Republican Mike Rogers over former primary rival El-Sayed

The endorsement adds a prominent Democratic voice to Rogers’ campaign in a closely contested Senate race that could help determine which party controls Capitol Hill.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Haley Stevens, who lost Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed in August, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday after El-Sayed’s campaign told her to stay away from its remaining events following a dispute over an anti-Israel advertisement.

Stevens announced her support for Rogers, the candidate backed by President Donald Trump, after attending a service with him at Perfecting Church in Detroit.

The endorsement adds a prominent Democratic voice to Rogers’ campaign in a closely contested Senate race that could help determine which party controls Capitol Hill.

“Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away,” Stevens said video announcing the endorsement. “And he’s right. And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”

Stevens’ decision quickly produced repercussions within her own operation. Her longtime chief of staff resigned, and additional staff members are expected to leave, according to a person familiar with the developments who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.

Tensions between Stevens and El-Sayed had centered on a Rebellion PAC anti-Israel video. Stevens demanded that El-Sayed explicitly condemn the advertisement before she would join him at a Democratic unity event. She also sought an apology for his previous rhetoric concerning Israel and called on his campaign to remove a clip featuring Tucker Carlson.

El-Sayed did not directly condemn the advertisement. He instead accused Stevens of attempting to “relitigate a primary that ended three months ago” and called on Democrats to concentrate on defeating Rogers. El-Sayed also pointed to his primary victory despite tens of millions of dollars in corporate and AIPAC-backed spending against him.

Plans for Stevens and El-Sayed to campaign together subsequently fell apart. By Saturday, El-Sayed’s campaign had asked Stevens not to attend its remaining events, CBS News reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Stevens and El-Sayed had both been scheduled to appear Sunday with Rep. Jim Clyburn at a Detroit church.

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