Politics · Nov 2November 2, 2026 · 2026 Midterm Elections

Haley Stevens Defends Mike Rogers Endorsement

Stevens struggled to explain her switch on CNN as Democrats condemned her and Trump praised her.

· Pano rates the coverage Balanced

90 news reports and 12 opinion pieces90 news and 12 opinion

What happened

Updated 11:00am ET

Haley Stevens defended her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed’s campaign raised more than $1 million in the hours after the endorsement. Two days before the election, the Democratic congresswoman appeared with Rogers at a Detroit church, reversing her earlier support for El-Sayed. El-Sayed had narrowly defeated Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary in August, after which she endorsed him. Stevens said she switched because of his response to an Israel-related ad, his associations with Hasan Piker, and anger in his campaign. El-Sayed said the ad was not his and accused Stevens of relitigating the primary. Michigan’s race could affect Senate control, and the impact of the late endorsement remained uncertain.

How the left told it

Left-leaning outlets framed Stevens’s move as a damaging party rupture, stressing betrayal and Democratic blowback more than ideological warning signs. The New York Times emphasized anger inside the party and described a feud shaped by Israel, ego and hurt feelings. CNN highlighted Stevens’s strained television defense, including her “rock solid” support for Rogers. The Nation blamed centrist, pro-Israel Democrats for helping create the crisis.

How the right told it

Right-leaning outlets framed Stevens’s move as a break with a radical nominee, while stressing Democratic punishment and the risk of backlash. Breitbart News cast the endorsement as brave, tying it to concerns about antisemitism and Israel. The New York Post focused on harsh attacks against Stevens, including James Carville’s vulgar comparison. Fox News stressed the fundraising surge and the stay-away dispute as signs the move could backfire.