Stevens defends Rogers pick after El-Sayed wins Michigan seat

Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens defended her late-breaking endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers after he lost the Michigan Senate race to Abdul El-Sayed. The final vote count stood at 52.52 percent for El-Sayed and 45.48 percent for Rogers as of 1:15 p.m. EST on Wednesday.

Stevens posted a detailed explanation on the social platform X. She stated that her beliefs were never measured by who would win at the ballot box. She acknowledged that her decision had consequences and expressed regret for upsetting colleagues and friends. She described her support for Israel as unwavering while noting the country is imperfect and needs political reforms.

The congresswoman addressed the tension between her role as co-chair of the House caucus on antisemitism and her support for a candidate who had previously aligned with Hasan Piker. She said she was taught to support the winner of an election and hoped to help El-Sayed moderate. She added that he instead got worse.

Stevens said she regretted her original endorsement of El-Sayed because it spared the country and her family from recent scrutiny. She argued that rescinding that endorsement was not an outlier act. She called her initial support for El-Sayed highly unusual and said she chose to stick with what mattered more, prioritizing truth over political convenience.

She stated she was elected to finish a job and to keep fighting antisemitism in either party. Stevens said she was stunned to see colleagues react strongly to her endorsement of Rogers two days before the midterms. She noted that staff members resigned shortly after she made the switch.

The congresswoman defended her choice in a Sunday night interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Fellow Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell called the interview one of the most painful she had ever watched. Stevens told NewsNation on Tuesday that the decision was absolutely worth it.

She closed her post by congratulating everyone who won. She called for continued conversation on building tolerance and embracing one another despite disagreements.