Michigan Politics: El-Sayed Ignores Stevens Rift as Early Votes Lead
The Senate nominee urged supporters to vote on Tuesday after his former primary rival backed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday.
By Ivan Mori ·
Abdul El-Sayed held a rally at Eastern Michigan University on Monday morning to focus on Election Day turnout. He did not mention the sudden endorsement of his former primary rival. The candidate told a crowd that included Sen. Elizabeth Warren and his grandparents that the race concerns voters rather than himself. He urged nervous supporters to simply go to the polls.
El-Sayed stated that controlling the outcome is the only action available to them. This message followed a dramatic weekend in which Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers. Stevens appeared with Rogers at a church in Detroit on Sunday. She announced the switch shortly after standing in the pews with the GOP candidate.
The move triggered immediate backlash within the state Democratic Party. Party leaders expelled Stevens from their ranks. Curtis Hertel, the Michigan Democratic Party Chair, said the event would not change the final result but would energize the base. He noted that the party saw a surge in volunteers signing up to knock on doors immediately after the announcement.
Financial support for El-Sayed increased following the endorsement. The campaign reported raising $2.4 million on Sunday. That figure represents the largest single-day fundraising total of his bid. Rogers’ team also publicized the gain. A person with direct knowledge of the talks said Rogers personally contacted Stevens over the weekend. His staff learned of the church appearance only after it was posted online.
Voting numbers show a large portion of the electorate has already decided. More than 2.3 million Michigan residents cast ballots as of Monday. The regular early in-person voting period ended Sunday. Polls will reopen statewide on Tuesday. Lori Goldman, a Democratic organizer in Oakland County, noted that while half the state has voted, the drama could still influence the remaining voters.
Local Democrats expressed mixed emotions about Stevens’ decision. Cassaundra Sims, a resident of West Bloomfield, described the endorsement as shocking and disappointing. Debbie Rosenman, who leads Democratic organizations in southeast Michigan, reported hearing fury from local members. Adrian Hemond, a strategist who plans to leave the Senate race blank, called the move personal rather than substantive.
Stevens defended her choice in a later interview. She said El-Sayed had become increasingly angry about her presence. She described the decision as a weight off her shoulders. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a senior party figure close to Stevens, called the interview painful to watch. Dingell said she had been worried about the congresswoman all week.
Stevens and El-Sayed had clashed over issues including the war in Gaza. Stevens had previously pledged to support El-Sayed after losing the primary by roughly 14,000 votes. Dingell said she uninvited Stevens from a unity event earlier in the week because their dispute had become distracting. Stevens’ fiancé had also said he would vote for Rogers.
