Trump on Haley Stevens' Rogers endorsement: "I'd love her to join the Republican Party"
Democratic U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday over her party's nominee in Michigan's Senate race, Abdul El-Sayed, a move President Trump praised at a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, the same day.
Stevens, standing alongside Rogers, said she would vote for other Democrats but not for El-Sayed, who beat her in the August primary. "It is more a statement about standing together against hate and the future of this state and this country, than it is anything else," she said. Rogers said he was honored to have her vote.
The endorsement came after Stevens was uninvited to a joint event with El-Sayed the same day.
Mr. Trump told rallygoers that Stevens "was very brave" to cross the aisle. "I don't know Haley. I've never met Haley. But Haley said what few people were willing to say," he said. "I'd love her to join the Republican Party actually."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, said he spoke with Stevens after the endorsement and encouraged her to keep speaking "the truth."
Democratic leaders moved quickly to back El-Sayed. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who had supported Stevens in the primary, called the endorsement "a despicable betrayal" in a social media post. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Stevens had "dangerously chosen to betray" Michigan families. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other congressional caucus leaders said they are standing with El-Sayed, and Jeffries called Rogers "a partisan hack who represents more of the same MAGA extremism."
Justin German, who served as Stevens' chief of staff, said in a social media post that he and many other members of her staff have resigned over the endorsement. He said her team still supports El-Sayed.
El-Sayed did not address the news during an earlier event in Southfield, Michigan, where he criticized Mr. Trump for talking about his Muslim faith. Mr. Trump ramped up his attacks on El-Sayed after the primary.
Later, standing with Democratic Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, El-Sayed brushed off the endorsement. "At the end of the day I actually don't think about Haley Stevens," he said. He said he has stayed focused on his platform rather than "a distraction about who said what to whom," and listed getting money out of politics, putting money back in pockets and Medicare for all.
El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in the Aug. 4 primary. The next day, she said she was "proud to offer my support" as he took on Rogers, CBS Detroit reported.
Election Day is Tuesday, and the results will help determine which party controls the House and Senate. More than 54 million people have voted so far, according to an Associated Press analysis that includes early in-person and mail ballots.