Politics · United States · 1 hr ago
Haley Stevens faces criticism for not explicitly endorsing Abdul El-Sayed
Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan after narrowly defeating Haley Stevens in the party primary.
Stevens, a Michigan representative and his former primary rival, said on television that she supports the Democratic ticket but did not directly endorse him.
Progressive activists and commentators criticized Stevens for not offering El-Sayed a clear public endorsement.
Some Democrats defended her, arguing that candidates can attract support even when other party members do not fully agree with them.
El-Sayed’s campaign has distanced itself from a group’s ad critical of Israel, while Stevens described the ad as fearmongering about Israel.
The dispute highlights tensions within Michigan Democrats as El-Sayed campaigns for a Senate seat that progressives say could be important to the party’s effort to win control of the chamber.
Rep. Haley Stevens has faced criticism for not explicitly saying she is fully behind Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
Stevens and El-Sayed have not spoken or campaigned together in recent months, despite her endorsing him after their August primary.
Stevens said she is on the Democratic ticket but cannot agree with everything that has happened.
She also said El-Sayed had not delivered a speech in the Black community that she had urged the coordinated campaign to arrange.
El-Sayed is facing Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched race for the seat held by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.
- Who
- Rep. Haley Stevens and Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed are at the center of the dispute, with Republican Mike Rogers as El-Sayed’s general-election opponent.
- What
- Stevens has stopped short of explicitly saying she is fully behind El-Sayed and has not campaigned alongside him.
- When
- Stevens made the cited comments on Sunday, days before the midterm elections. She and El-Sayed have not spoken in recent months.
- Where
- Michigan, where El-Sayed and Stevens contested the Democratic Senate primary.
- Why
- Their relationship remains strained after a bitter primary, and Stevens says El-Sayed did not make a speech in the Black community that she had urged the coordinated campaign to arrange.
Haley Stevens and her supporters
Abdul El-Sayed and his campaign
Endorsement
Haley Stevens and her supporters
Stevens said she is on the Democratic ticket but cannot agree with everything that has happened.
Abdul El-Sayed and his campaign
El-Sayed’s campaign spokesperson said the two campaign teams remain in close communication.
Primary outreach
Haley Stevens and her supporters
Stevens said a speech in the Black community that she urged the coordinated campaign to arrange did not happen.
Abdul El-Sayed and his campaign
El-Sayed’s campaign has been working to consolidate support among voters who backed Stevens, including Black and Jewish voters.
Stevens narrowly lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed.
Stevens appeared with El-Sayed at unity events, including a state party unity breakfast.
El-Sayed told CNN he had not appeared with Stevens because of her extremely busy schedule.
Stevens told CNN she could not say she agreed with everything that had happened and told Fox News a speech in the Black community had not happened.
- Primary result
- Stevens narrowly lost to El-Sayed in August 2026.
- Campaign contact
- They had not spoken in recent months, according to CNN.
- Joint appearances
- Stevens was not scheduled to appear with El-Sayed before Election Day.
- General-election opponent
- Republican Mike Rogers.
- Senate seat
- The race is to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
- Stevens’s stated concern
- She said El-Sayed had not delivered a speech in the Black community that she had urged the coordinated campaign to arrange.
4 sources
Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens haven’t campaigned together — or spoken — in recent months
Former rival dodges full-throated El-Sayed endorsement after bitter Senate primary
El-Sayed Campaign Distances Itself From Group’s Ad Critical of Israel
What people are saying
Look, I’m on the Democratic ticket. I can’t say that I agree with everything that’s gone on.
But yeah, I mean, that didn't happen.
I had said to, you know, the coordinated campaign, I'm like, hey, give a speech in the Black community, right?
the Abdul and Haley campaign teams remain in close communication.