Former Democratic Senate Candidate Teams Up with GOP Opponent in Detroit Church Event

Haley Stevens, who previously ran against Abdul El‑Sayed in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, was seen sharing a stage with Republican Mike Rogers at a Detroit church event, according to the Associated Press.

The appearance came after a planned joint event with El‑Sayed at a different Detroit church was cancelled. That earlier gathering was intended to signal party unity following a contentious primary.

According to the report, Stevens conditioned her participation on El‑Sayed publicly denouncing a third‑party campaign advertisement that linked U.S. cost‑of‑living concerns to the country’s support for Israel. El‑Sayed refused to make that denunciation, and his campaign subsequently disinvited Stevens from its remaining pre‑midterm events.

With the unity event off the table, Stevens joined Rogers, effectively abandoning her Democratic affiliation and offering support to the Republican in what is described as one of the nation’s most crucial Senate races.

The shift occurs in the final days before the midterm elections, highlighting the volatility of candidate alliances in tightly contested races.