Democrat Stevens defends endorsement switch to Republican Rogers two days before election
A prominent Michigan Democrat who switched her endorsement to the Republican candidate in the final days of the vital Senate race has defended her decision, saying simply: "I changed my mind".
Haley Stevens, who unsuccessfully ran to become the Democratic nominee, withdrew support for the Democratic candidate who beat her in the primary contest, Abdul El-Sayed.
Ahead of the US midterm elections on Tuesday, Stevens gave her last-minute backing to Republican Mike Rogers, sparking widespread condemnation from her Democratic colleagues.
Stevens and El-Sayed have clashed on a range of issues, including US support for Israel. Michigan is considered critical for Democrats' hopes of winning control of Congress in the midterms.
Hours after the announcement, appearing on CNN, she said: "I woke up this morning clear-eyed, fresh and focused on what was in my heart, and that's that."
The seat is currently in Democratic hands. Analysts say the party needs to retain it, and win a handful of others from the Republicans, if it is to gain control of the US Senate and try to challenge US President Donald Trump in his final two years.
Stevens had previously offered her endorsement to El-Sayed after conceding defeat to him during a closely-fought primary contest in August.
As recently as Saturday night, she was said by CNN to be sticking with the fellow Democrat, and was denying any suggestion she would switch sides.
In her interview with the network the following day, Stevens did not provide her specific rationale, saying: "I changed my mind. (El-Sayed) said, 'Hey, I don't need your endorsement.' That's fine. Why the anger? Why the frustration?"
Stevens insisted that "nothing with me changed". She added that she was now "rock solid" in her choice to back Rogers, although insisted: "I still love my party a whole lot."
Fellow Democrats who condemned the Stevens endorsement were also critical of her interview performance. It was described as "painful" by Debbie Dingell, who, like Stevens, currently represents Michigan in the House of Representatives.
A public feud between Stevens, a centrist Democrat, and El-Sayed, who represents the party's left wing, has boiled over in recent days.
Stevens gave her endorsement to Rogers just two days before the election - making a surprise appearance alongside the Republican on Sunday.
"I don't belong in Abdul's campaign," she said in a video posted to X shortly afterwards. "Who we are as Michiganders is not hate," and then went on to say: "That's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers," Stevens said.
The move stunned many of her fellow party members, who condemned her decision to switch her support just two days before the election.
Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the US Senate, called it "despicable betrayal", and many of the Stevens staff reportedly resigned immediately after her announcement.
Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel wrote on X that Stevens is "not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future".
Republicans, meanwhile, applauded the move. Rogers himself said the move showed "courage", and Trump agreed that Stevens had been "very brave".
Stevens's schedule for Sunday initially involved her appearing at an event alongside El-Sayed, but she was reportedly asked by him not to come earlier in the weekend.
As Stevens instead made her appearance alongside Rogers, she said: "This is a very close election, we all know that, but Abdul made clear that I was not welcome in his campaign, that he didn't need me there, that he didn't want me there."
When asked about Stevens' endorsement, El-Sayed told reporters he was focused on the problems that were facing people in the state.
"At the end of the day, I don't think about Haley Stevens," he said on Sunday. "None of this matters."
Throughout the Michigan race, El-Sayed's strong criticism of Israel has been a source of tension within his party.
A recent flashpoint involved an advert that came from an outside liberal group. The advert linked rising prices in the US with American support for Israel. Stevens called on El-Sayed to condemn it. El-Sayed said he did not agree with the advert's contents and said he had nothing to do with its contents, which was welcomed by Stevens.
The Michigan contest more broadly is one of the most closely-watched and bitter contests of the midterms.
El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim person ever elected to the US Senate, has faced a variety of attacks from Rogers and Trump.
The president has invoked 9/11 and called him a "jihadist" without citing any evidence, prompting a backlash and accusations of Islamophobia.
