Political Endorsement Shift: Stevens Supports Opponent

Former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard (D) has disclosed unexpected developments in the political arena regarding Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.). According to Blanchard, her sudden endorsement of U.S. Senate nominee Mike Rogers (R) came less than two days after she had dinner with him, expressing plans to continue supporting Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.

“Something changed in her,” Blanchard told Gongwer News Service, describing the dinner conversation. Stevens lost to El-Sayed in the primaries but had initially endorsed him in August. Her reversal occurred on Sunday when she joined Rogers at a Black church service in Detroit and endorsed him via a social media video.

Top Democrats consider this move a possible career risk for Stevens. She was initially expected to join another church service with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) to demonstrate party unity. However, prior to Sunday, Stevens, who receives backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and her fiancé, Jason Turkish, increased criticism of El-Sayed’s stance on Israel. They pushed El-Sayed to condemn certain ads supporting him, labeling them as “hateful” and antisemitic.

As Election Day approaches, El-Sayed’s campaign had advised Stevens to avoid future events with them. Turkish, who is Jewish and AIPAC donor, had endorsed Rogers days before the dinner. Blanchard described Turkish’s influence during dinner as pressuring, saying he criticized Stevens for supporting El-Sayed after her primary defeat.

Blanchard defended Stevens as a “team player,” yet Turkish was persistent. Blanchard questioned Turkish’s different standard for his partner compared to Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who supports El-Sayed. Turkish has donated $15,000 to a PAC supporting Slotkin’s 2024 campaign, based on federal election data.

Blanchard commented on Turkish’s distress over El-Sayed, advising Stevens he was “not a good influence,” to which she responded, “I’m fine.” Blanchard underscored that the situation doesn’t reflect the Stevens he knows, describing it as “irrational” and harmful primarily to Stevens herself.

The Washington Post reported that Stevens communicated with Blanchard on Saturday and early Sunday, confirming her plans to attend the service with El-Sayed and Clyburn, expressing her willingness to join the Democrats and inviting Blanchard as well.

In the aftermath of the unexpected endorsement switch, Stevens is finding it challenging to justify her support for Rogers, whom she previously criticized as the “worst kind of politician” and described as a supporter of President Donald Trump’s agenda. Meanwhile, El-Sayed experienced his largest fundraising day on Sunday, collecting $2.4 million through contributions from over 29,000 new donors. A recent poll from The New York Times/Siena University shows El-Sayed leading Rogers by 11 percentage points among likely Michigan voters.