Michigan Senate: El-Sayed rallies after Stevens backs Republican

Abdul El-Sayed addressed a crowd at Eastern Michigan University on Monday to refocus his campaign after a major political rupture. He sought to distance the general election from the controversy surrounding his former primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens. Stevens had endorsed the Republican candidate, Mike Rogers, the previous day. This move marked a sharp break for a senior Democrat in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

The endorsement came after Stevens appeared alongside Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit on Sunday. She announced her support for the Republican shortly after the joint appearance. The act prompted her expulsion from the state Democratic Party. Party leaders, including longtime allies, voiced strong condemnation of the decision. El-Sayed did not mention the specific incident during his Monday speech.

Instead, El-Sayed emphasized that the campaign centered on voters rather than individual personalities. When asked about the potential impact of Stevens' defection on undecided supporters, he offered a direct instruction. "Go vote," he told reporters. He added that controlling the outcome depended solely on voter participation. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and El-Sayed's grandparents joined him on stage to greet the audience.

The race entered its final day with high stakes for turnout. More than 2.3 million Michigan voters had already cast their ballots by Monday. In the 2022 midterms, nearly 4.5 million people voted. The state’s regular early in-person voting period ended on Sunday. Polls reopened statewide on Tuesday to capture any remaining voters who had not yet participated.

Lori Goldman, a longtime Democratic organizer in Oakland County, noted that approximately half of the electorate had already voted. She argued that the political drama could still influence those who remained undecided. "But for the rest, it could matter a hell of a lot," she said. Oakland County serves as a key party stronghold near Detroit.

For the Republican side, the endorsement represented a major strategic gain. Rogers personally contacted Stevens over the weekend, according to a person with direct knowledge of the discussions. Rogers' own staff did not know about the planned church appearance until Sunday morning. They learned of the endorsement only after it was posted online. The Rogers campaign actively promoted the endorsement to voters on Monday.

The defection exposed ongoing divisions within the Democratic base regarding El-Sayed. He had narrowly defeated Stevens in a costly and contentious primary. The two candidates clashed over policy positions on Israel and the war in Gaza. Democratic leaders spent the final weeks of the campaign attempting to secure support from Jewish and Black voters who had previously favored Stevens. Some leaders remained critical of El-Sayed despite their efforts to unify the party.

El-Sayed raised $2.4 million on Sunday, his largest fundraising day of the campaign. The state party reported a surge in volunteers signing up to knock on doors. Curtis Hertel, the Michigan Democratic Party Chair, stated that the event was intended to energize the base. "I don't think this changes the election results other than it galvanizes Democrats," Hertel said.

Stevens faced criticism from both former supporters and critics of the Democratic ticket. Cassaundra Sims, a 62-year-old resident of West Bloomfield who had voted for Stevens in previous elections, described the endorsement as shocking and disappointing. She stated that Stevens had shown she could not be trusted by the Black community. Debbie Rosenman, who leads two Democratic organizations in southeast Michigan, reported hearing fury from local members who felt betrayed by the congresswoman.

Adrian Hemond, a Democratic strategist who supported Stevens, argued that the endorsement stemmed from personal animosity rather than policy differences. He said that if the decision were about substance, Stevens would have made it a month earlier. He described the move as colossally stupid but noted it had zero to do with the issues. Hemond planned to leave the Senate race blank on his ballot. Stevens cited El-Sayed's anger and her desire to be straight with voters in a subsequent interview.

Tensions between the two Democrats escalated following a planned unity event on Sunday. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a senior figure close to Stevens, uninvited the congresswoman from the gathering because the dispute had become distracting. Dingell said she had been worried about Stevens all week and called the later interview one of the most painful she had watched. Stevens had previously assured party members that the dispute would not lead her to withdraw her support for El-Sayed.