История
3 нояб. 2026 г.
Haley Stevens’ Rogers endorsement puts Michigan Democrats’ Israel divide on display
Haley Stevens’ decision to back Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has intensified a Michigan Democratic split over Israel, campaign alliances and the limits of party loyalty days before the election.
Haley Stevens’ late endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers has turned a close Michigan race into a public test of Democratic unity. The split is rooted in arguments over Israel and antisemitism, but it has also revived questions about loyalty after a divisive primary.
Stevens said her vote would go to Rogers because “we have to stand with country” and “cannot stand for hate,” arguing that El-Sayed had made clear he did not want her support. Former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard, however, told one account that Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, had been pressing her to reconsider her backing of the Democratic nominee; Turkish had said El-Sayed’s rhetoric “puts Jews at risk.”1
Accounts from the left portray the decision differently: as the culmination of Stevens’ long-running disagreement with El-Sayed over Israel, rather than a sudden dispute. El-Sayed rejected the contents of an outside advertisement linking grocery prices to US aid for Israel, and has said his commitment to Jewish safety is “the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters.”2 His campaign, meanwhile, continued to emphasize living costs, healthcare and reducing money in politics.
The reversal also followed friction between Stevens and progressive allies of El-Sayed. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reportedly called Stevens in an effort to preserve unity; Stevens told her afterward that she was “still on the team,” according to an account of the exchange.3 Stevens then appeared with Rogers instead of at an anticipated Democratic unity event.
Democratic reactions have been sharply critical. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the move a “despicable betrayal,” while party officials questioned whether Stevens could remain aligned with Michigan Democrats.4 Rogers welcomed the endorsement, and Donald Trump publicly encouraged Stevens to join the Republican Party.
Online reaction has mirrored the polarized coverage. One X post characterized the episode as “Republican goes undercover” and “democrat hypocrisy,” a partisan reading of a dispute that both camps describe as consequential for Michigan’s Democratic coalition.
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