Michigan Democrat Haley Stevens backs Republican Mike Rogers in Senate race

Haley Stevens, a Democratic congresswoman who lost Michigan’s Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, has endorsed Republican Mike Rogers days before a closely contested election that could help decide control of the US Senate.

Stevens announced her support for Rogers on Sunday after appearing with him outside a church. She said El-Sayed had made clear she was not welcome in his campaign. He told reporters he was focused on the problems facing Michigan residents and said: “At the end of the day, I don’t think about Haley Stevens.”

The endorsement follows a public dispute between the two Democrats. Stevens had urged El-Sayed to condemn an advert by an outside liberal group linking US support for Israel with high prices. El-Sayed criticised the advert and said he had no involvement in it. Stevens was due to appear with him on Sunday at an event intended to show party unity; reports said El-Sayed asked her not to attend.

The break with her party prompted sharp criticism. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer called the endorsement “a despicable betrayal”, while Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel said Stevens had “abandoned everything she claims to care about”. Rogers praised her decision as showing “courage”. President Donald Trump also welcomed the move.

The race is among the tightest in Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to analysts, and is one of several contests expected to determine which party controls the Senate. Democrats currently hold the seat, whose incumbent is retiring. The last Republican elected to it was in 1994.

Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to take control. Losing Michigan would mean they need to win five elsewhere. The endorsement comes after a bitter primary in which El-Sayed, a left-wing outsider and former public health official, defeated Stevens, a more centrist congresswoman backed by party figures including Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The contest has also highlighted divisions over the party’s direction ahead of the 2028 presidential election.