Prominent Democrats and progressive commentators sharply criticized Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., after she endorsed Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race over the weekend.
In a video posted Sunday after attending church with Rogers, Stevens said Abdul El-Sayed had told her to stay away from his campaign. She also faulted him for associating with streamer Hasan Piker, who later criticized her endorsement.
“Working-class people’s lives are on the ballot Tuesday—their health care, rent and bills,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X. He accused Stevens of betraying those voters by backing the Republican she had once said she wanted to defeat.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel responded that Stevens was no longer a member of the state party and would not be one in the future.
Stevens, who is set to leave Congress in January, lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed earlier this year. She was generally seen as the more moderate, establishment candidate, while El-Sayed ran on a more progressive platform. Her endorsement came in the final days of a race in which Democrats are hoping to regain control of the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called Stevens’ move a betrayal and said Senate Democrats were backing El-Sayed. Schumer argued that Rogers would serve Donald Trump and wealthy donors rather than Michigan’s working families.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Stevens had blindsided colleagues and distanced herself from the House Democratic caucus. He said party leaders would discuss what steps to take when lawmakers returned.
Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., also attacked Stevens, saying she had let her constituents down on important issues. He suggested she was acting out of frustration over losing the primary and seeking attention, and said her decision had damaged her political standing.
Stevens also faced an immediate departure of staff after she posted her endorsement video.
El-Sayed, visibly frustrated by the focus on Stevens, urged reporters to ask about issues affecting Michigan residents instead. He acknowledged that those questions might draw fewer clicks, but said they were what voters cared about.
The Democratic National Committee condemned Stevens’ endorsement as a rejection of party values. DNC Chair Ken Martin said Rogers was an ally of Trump and would support policies harmful to working families. He said Democrats would not let the endorsement disrupt their efforts to elect El-Sayed.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also criticized Stevens, arguing that Rogers and Trump would create instability and make life less affordable while prioritizing wealthy donors. The committee said it rejected attempts to divide Democrats before Tuesday’s election.
Piker, whose relationship with El-Sayed has become an issue in the campaign, posted that he condemned Stevens. El-Sayed has tried to distance himself from the streamer since winning the primary, though he has declined to denounce him.
A co-host of the political podcast Pod Save America, who previously worked as a speechwriter for President Barack Obama, called Stevens’ decision exceptionally selfish and said those who had supported her should acknowledge their mistake. Fellow co-host Jon Lovett called her a “sleaze.” Podcaster Keith Olbermann also criticized Stevens, while questioning whether her endorsement would persuade anyone to change their vote.
Stevens narrowly lost to El-Sayed in Michigan’s Aug. 4 primary. For months, she had said she would support him in the general election, but tensions escalated last week over an advertisement aired in El-Sayed’s favor that many viewed as antisemitic. Stevens said she would attend a campaign event with him if he denounced the ad. El-Sayed instead withdrew the invitation.
The ad was released by Rebellion PAC, which is run by Cenk Uygur, a co-founder of The Young Turks and Piker’s uncle. El-Sayed had brought Piker onto the campaign trail during the primary, but the streamer’s presence has become a political problem for him in the general election.
Piker has drawn criticism for past remarks, including saying in 2019 that America deserved the Sept. 11 attacks. He has also praised Mao Zedong and Communist China, made comments about violence against capitalists and been accused of making antisemitic statements. El-Sayed has dismissed questions about Piker, describing him as a California-based streamer and arguing that he should not be the focus of the Michigan campaign.
