Michigan before US midterm elections: Democrat now supports Republicans

Michigan ahead of US midterm election Democrat now supports Republican As of: November 2nd, 2026 • 11:16 a.m

The fight for the Senate seat for the US state of Michigan is close. Now the race could become even more exciting. Because a prominent Democrat is now supporting the Republican top candidate. He feels honored. Trump is also happy.

Election campaign with a difference: Before the US parliamentary election, a dispute broke out among the Democrats in the state of Michigan. Democratic politician Haley Stevens announced that she is not supporting her party's top Senate candidate, Abdul El-Sayed, but is now supporting the Republican Senate candidate.

“We all know this is a very close election,” Stevens told reporters. "But Abdul has made it very clear that I am not welcome in his campaign." The representative instead expressed her support for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Rogers said in a joint appearance with Stevens that he was "honored" by her support.

In the CNN interview, Stevens was asked why she was now supporting the Republican candidate. Stevens failed to provide a real answer, saying only that she decided to support Rogers after she woke up in the morning and had time to think.

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Stevens was defeated by El-Sayed in the party's Senate primary election. She has represented a constituency in the state in the US House of Representatives since 2019 and tried in vain to run for a Senate seat.

El-Sayed was unimpressed by the breakaway party colleague's decision. "At the end of the day, I'm not thinking about Haley Stevens," he said. "I'm thinking about the 9.999998 million people who aren't those two," he added, referring to Stevens and Rogers. He focuses on issues that are important to voters, such as the high cost of living. El-Sayed suggested that Stevens' comments could stem from displeasure over her defeat in the primary.

The 42-year-old El-Sayed is considered a progressive politician. He ran a furious election campaign, but his anti-Israel stance also made the Democratic establishment uncomfortable. El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim in history to enter the US Senate, speaks out against arms sales to Israel. Stevens is considered a staunch supporter of Israel.

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The Democratic minority leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, criticized Stevens: He accused her of a “despicable betrayal”. Michigan Democratic leader Curtis Hertel said Stevens had given up everything she said was important to her. Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi also criticized Stevens. She “dangerously decided to commit treason.”

US President Donald Trump, who called El-Sayed a “jihadist,” said Stevens had “courage.” House Republican leader Mike Johnson said he spoke with Stevens after the election recommendation. He encouraged them to stay safe and continue to speak the truth.

Keeping Michigan in Democratic hands is crucial to the party's push to win a majority in the Senate for the final two years of Trump's second term. The race in the northern US state is expected to be close.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | 11/02/2026 | 8:47 a.m