US Rep. Haley Stevens under scrutiny after endorsing Republican candidate in Michigan Senate race

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Leading Democratic politicians and senior aides on Sunday sharply rebuked US Rep. Haley Stevens following her decision to endorse Republican nominee Mike Rogers in Michigan's pivotal US Senate contest against Abdul El-Sayed, a shock move coming just two days before the US' critical midterm elections.

"This is a despicable betrayal from Rep. Stevens," US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, asserting that lawmakers in Senate remain firmly united behind their party’s chosen nominee.

The endorsement triggered an immediate walkout among the lawmaker's Capitol Hill staff. "We are shocked and heartbroken by Congresswoman Stevens' decision to support Mike Rogers," Justin German, who served as Stevens' chief of staff for eight years, said, confirming that he and multiple aides resigned Sunday morning to back El-Sayed.

State party leadership also moved swiftly to disown the lawmaker. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said that Stevens "is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future."

Joining the criticism, US Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, also of Michigan, argued that voters care far more about the "price of gas or groceries than the daily political drama," cautioning that anyone making the election "about themselves, and not Michiganders and our democracy, should think hard about whether they are serving the greater good."

Stressing that Tuesday’s high-stakes race is "bigger than any one person," Slotkin maintained that the state will elect El-Sayed to help "put a check on President Trump in the US House and Senate."

The race is one of several that could decide whether the US Senate remains in Republican control for the last two years of Donald Trump’s presidency, or if it goes under the control of Democrats, who could make it considerably harder for Trump to advance his agenda.

"Pathetic, petty, selfish, unhinged," Rep. Jared Huffman told Axios about Stevens' endorsement, while Rep. Lateefah Simon said she is "lost for words." Rep. Sam Liccardo said he has "seen more pleasant self-immolations," and Rep. Glenn Ivey expressed his shock following the decision.

"I'm dumbfounded that Haley told me one thing last night and changed her mind today," Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland told Axios.

Rep. Adelita Grijalva accused Stevens of showing "her true colors," while Rep. Susie Lee said she is "sincerely worried" about the Michigan lawmaker.

In a rare break with party unity on the eve of Tuesday’s US midterm congressional elections, Stevens formally endorsed Rogers, delivering a major blow to Democratic candidate El-Sayed.

"Abdul said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away," Stevens said in a video published on US social media company X. "And he's right, and that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today. I don't belong in Abdul's campaign."

Muhammed Yasin Güngör