Rep. Haley Stevens ran for the U.S. Senate in Michigan and lost narrowly in the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed. It appears, however, that she may have the last laugh.
In a move that has left her fellow Democrats panicking, Stevens delivered El-Sayed’s Republican opponent Mike Rogers a big gift on Sunday: her endorsement.
‘This is a despicable betrayal.’
In a race where polls show Rogers trailing by several points, this move has prompted praise from Republicans and ugly meltdowns among Democrats, including Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.).
The endorsement
Stevens — an establishment Democrat who touted herself earlier this year as “the strongest candidate to beat Mike Rogers and stop the MAGA agenda” — shared a video to social media on Sunday confirming recent reports that El-Sayed’s campaign had told her to stay away from all future campaign events.
“That’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today,” she said in the video. “I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign. I do not stand with Hasan Piker, who gets trafficked on our college campuses.”
El-Sayed brought Piker to Michigan to campaign with him on multiple occasions, even though Piker is the anti-Israeli multimillionaire son of Muslim immigrants from Turkey who stated that “America deserved 9/11” and called for another attack; said that he has no patriotism in his heart for America; and told viewers who care about Medicaid fraud to “kill” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
RELATED: Vance blasts ‘psychopath’ El-Sayed over ‘anti-white’ hatred
JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images
Stevens suggested that El-Sayed’s campaign has been compromised by Piker’s brand of hatred and insinuated that was troubling because the seat pursued both by El-Sayed and Rogers is “the conscience of the Senate.”
“I am still a very proud Democrat,” she claimed. “I still very much believe in everything I voted for and said.”
The congresswoman — who stated shortly after she lost the Democratic primary that she was “proud to support” El-Sayed — reiterated at a press conference featuring Rogers that she is voting for the Republican “because we have to stand with country. We can’t stand with hate. We can’t stand with Hasan Piker.”
Rogers welcomed the endorsement, noting that “Stevens showed courage and bravery in putting Michigan first.”
“The Congresswoman understands that Michigan is a purple state,” continued Rogers. “It is the soul of our nation, and I would be honored to earn support from Democrats across Michigan who believe in saving Michigan — from our education crisis to our sky high prices and depleted housing market.”
Michigan GOP spokesman Greg Manz told Blaze News that Stevens’ “support underscores a growing reality: traditional Democrats who no longer recognize their values in Conman Abdul’s radical Islamic ideology can find common ground with Mike Rogers.”
Among the other Republicans who celebrated the last-minute about-face was President Donald Trump. The president, whom Stevens voted twice to impeach, wrote on Truth Social, “Haley said what few people are willing to say. She showed great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the Great People of Michigan with what she did.”
El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The meltdowns
El-Sayed did his apparent best to frame Stevens’ endorsement of Rogers as trivial, telling reporters, “I actually don’t think about Haley Stevens,” but other Democrats evidently can’t think about anything else.
“This is a despicable betrayal from Rep. Stevens,” said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) on Sunday afternoon.
Schumer noted further that Senate Democrats remained “united” in their support for El-Sayed and said that “Democrats are equally united in our total revulsion at the racist, Islamophobic, and over-the-top false attacks on Abdul by Republicans.”
Finn Gomez/Getty Images
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the endorsement “horrific” and accused Stevens of choosing “to dangerously betray Michigan families’ healthcare, freedoms and future.”
Rep. Jim Clyburn, the South Carolina Democrat who was originally set to appear with Stevens and El-Sayed at a Detroit campaign event on Sunday, said he was “absolutely disappointed” and characterized her decision as “a distraction.”
The Michigan Democratic Party effectively declared Stevens persona non grata, and her congressional staffers began jumping ship.
Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel stated, “Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future.”
Hours later, Hertel whined, “This is NOT ‘the Michigan way!'”
Stevens’ longtime chief of staff, Justin German, confirmed in a statement on Sunday that “many members of our team have resigned, including myself.”
“We are shocked and heartbroken by Congresswoman Stevens’s decision to support Mike Rogers,” added German.
Liberal media types similarly handled the news of Stevens’ endorsement poorly.
British hand-wringer Piers Morgan, for instance, condemned Stevens, calling her “an absolute charlatan” engaged in “the ultimate political treachery.”
Mehdi Hasan, a liberal talking head known for his “anti-Israel agitprop,” cried, “She’s evil,” and a “complete traitor to their [Democrats’] party.”
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Haley stevens, Abdul el-sayed, Mike rogers, Nancy pelosi, Chuck schumer, Jim clyburn, Senate, Michigan, Politics
