Stevens to vote for Rogers in Senate race

Detroit Representative Haley Stevens stood on the steps of Perfecting Church on Sunday morning, two days before the general election, to announce a break with her party.

Stevens, a Democrat, told a crowd of reporters that she would cast her ballot for Republican challenger Mike Rogers in the contest for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat.

The announcement came one day after the campaign of Democratic nominee Dr. Abdul El-Sayed asked Stevens to refrain from joining them on the trail. Stevens said the campaign made it clear she was not welcome after a tense exchange over a controversial advertisement.

"Ninety percent of my votes are going to Democrats," Stevens said. "I am going to cast my vote for Senate for Mike Rogers. We can't stand for hate. We can't stand with Hassan Piker."

Stevens described the decision as personal and private. She said she woke up Sunday and decided to attend church with the candidate she intended to support.

The reaction to the endorsement was immediate. Justin German, Stevens' chief of staff, resigned from the role shortly after the press conference concluded. El-Sayed responded to the news at a separate campaign event later that afternoon. He characterized the endorsement as a distraction from the policy issues facing voters.

"I don't know what that party is anymore," El-Sayed said. "I think about the 9,999,998 people who are not those two." He argued that families are more concerned with school conditions and food costs than with internal party disputes.

Rogers praised Stevens for her support. He stated that he was honored to have her vote and noted that they had discussed what was best for the country and the state. He added that Stevens reminded him she remained a Democrat at the end of their conversation.

The split between Stevens and El-Sayed began on Friday and Saturday when the two traded remarks online about Israel. Stevens had called on El-Sayed to condemn a Rebellion PAC advertisement produced by Cenk Uygur, the uncle of streamer and campaign surrogate Hasan Piker. El-Sayed said his campaign was not affiliated with the ad, but Stevens argued that a disclaimer was not a condemnation.

Rogers entered the conversation recently by posting online in support of Stevens. He called her a courageous leader who deserved respect from every Michigan voter. He said she was right to ask El-Sayed to denounce the ad and apologize for the ideology behind it.

Stevens' fiancée, Jason Turkish, had recently announced he would also vote for Rogers. The press conference at Perfecting Church ended when a bystander began yelling that Stevens was a traitor.

Stevens said she understood if some in her party were upset, especially since she had previously endorsed El-Sayed. She said the decision was about leadership and integrity. She noted that many constituents in her congressional district were publicly supporting Rogers. She insisted she was not turning her back on Democrats but was being honest about where her heart lay at that time.