Rep. Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate Race

Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., on Sunday endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, a surprise turn in one of the most closely watched races of the midterms, NBC News and ABC News reported.

Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed, said in a video that El-Sayed had told her to stay away from his campaign. She agreed with that, she said, and so she was backing Rogers. She later told reporters that about 90 percent of her votes will go to Democrats but that her Senate vote would go to Rogers because “we have to stand with country,” according to ABC News.

The break came days after she told CNN she would vote for the Democratic ticket. NBC News reported that the two had traded critical statements after Stevens asked El-Sayed to condemn an advertisement from an outside group that she called antisemitic. El-Sayed accused her of trying to relitigate a primary that ended three months ago, and his campaign asked her to stay away from events, NBC reported. In her endorsement video Stevens also criticized El-Sayed’s ties to the streamer Hasan Piker, who has appeared at his events.

Stevens appeared with Rogers at a Detroit church service on Sunday. Rogers said he was honored by her support and said it was a statement about standing against hate. He said she reminded him on a call that she is still a Democrat, NBC News reported.

El-Sayed, speaking after a service at a different Detroit church alongside Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said he does not think about Stevens and is focused on the state’s 10 million residents, ABC News reported. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the endorsement a “despicable betrayal” on social media. President Donald Trump praised Stevens, saying she had shown “great and almost unprecedented loyalty” to Michigan.

The winner will replace Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat who is retiring. NBC News said the race could help decide which party controls the Senate.