Democrat Haley Stevens showed up at a Detroit church with Republican Mike Rogers two days before the election, and Trump praised her ‘bravery’
‘Remember, I'm still a Democrat.’
Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a Democrat from Michigan, shocked the political world by appearing at a Detroit church alongside Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, November 1, 2026. This public endorsement, which arrived just two days before the midterm elections, marks a massive shift in the Michigan Senate race. According to The Hill, the event took place at Perfecting Church, where Stevens stood with the GOP nominee to signal her support.
The development caught the attention of Donald Trump, who took to Truth Social to share his thoughts on the congresswoman. Trump wrote, “Wow, this is BIG! Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a Highly Respected Democrat, who narrowly lost in the Primary to Abdul Mohamed El-Sayed, and who has been breathlessly wined and dined by the Dumocrats to help in their Michigan Campaign for the United States Senate against Mike Rogers, has just ENDORSED Mike Rogers for Senate!”
The president went on to praise her actions, stating, “Her following is huge, and the level of respect from the People of Michigan, especially our African American and Jewish populations, is virtually unparalleled. Haley said what few people are willing to say.” Trump noted that she “showed great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the Great People of Michigan with what she did.” He added, “It’s a thing called bravery, and few people have it like just displayed by Congresswoman Haley Stevens!”
‘I’d love her to join the Republican Party’
During a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, later that day, the president even extended an invitation for Stevens to switch parties. “I don’t know Haley, I’ve never met Haley, but Haley said what few people are willing to say…I’d love her to join the Republican Party. Actually, I think that could happen. Maybe.”
The tension between Stevens and the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, has been building for months. Stevens lost to El-Sayed in a tense primary battle over the summer.
The friction between the two intensified recently over their conflicting views on Israel and the genocide in Palestine. Stevens, who represents a district with a significant Jewish population, has been a vocal supporter of Israel. El-Sayed has called for an end to U.S. financial aid to Israel, arguing that those funds should be directed toward domestic issues.
This disagreement spilled over into the campaign trail when an independent political action committee, the Rebellion PAC, released an ad that linked domestic economic struggles to foreign aid. According to Newsweek, the ad featured a couple in a grocery store, with one person saying, “we have to set that $7 aside for killing Palestinians.”
The Anti-Defamation League labeled the spot a “case study in antisemitism,” prompting Stevens to demand that El-Sayed denounce it. El-Sayed distanced himself from the ad, noting he did not produce or approve it, but the damage to their relationship was already done.
The situation reached a breaking point on October 31
On Saturday, Stevens was dropped from a campaign event scheduled for Sunday that was supposed to include Democratic Representative Jim Clyburn. Representative Debbie Dingell told the press that she had asked Stevens not to attend because the ongoing feud had become too distracting.
Hours after being sidelined, Stevens appeared at the church in Detroit with Rogers. A photo of the two at the event was shared on X by Rogers campaign staffer Abby Ronson with the caption, “HAPPENING NOW: Congresswoman Haley Stevens joins Mike Rogers at church in Detroit this morning.”
The reaction from party leadership has been sharp. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reportedly described the move as a “despicable betrayal”. Despite the criticism, Stevens remains firm in her decision. She told reporters on Sunday that the endorsement was “a personal and private decision,” adding, “I’m here with the person who I am voting for for United States Senate, and that is Mike Rogers.”
For his part, Rogers said he felt “honored” by the support and claimed the endorsement was about opposing hate. He also mentioned that Stevens had clarified during their talks, “Remember, I’m still a Democrat.”
El-Sayed attempted to brush off the news
He told reporters that he remains focused on policy rather than political drama. “At the end of the day, I actually don’t think about Haley Stevens,” he said. “I’m just less interested in the politics of it all than I am in the policy of it all.”
Meanwhile, polling shows a tight race in Michigan. A CNN/SSRS poll from late October placed El-Sayed ahead 49% to 42%, while other surveys like the Marist poll showed a much narrower two-point gap. These polls were conducted before the endorsement, so the impact of Stevens’ move on the final outcome remains to be seen.
Trump has continued to attack El-Sayed, repeatedly questioning his background and campaigning history. As the election approaches, this unexpected alliance between a Democratic congresswoman and a Republican candidate highlights just how volatile the current political climate has become in Michigan.
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