In an increasingly crowded Democratic primary field for the open Michigan Senate seat, Republicans may already have an attack plan for Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI).
Stevens’s candidacy has been scrutinized by Republicans for her tendency to lash out during public events.
In 2020, Stevens gave a speech on the House floor regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The speech began normally, but as she ran out of her allotted time, she began shouting remarks and fighting with fellow Democrats. She was eventually ruled out of order, and her microphone was turned off.
Nancy Pelosi, then the House speaker, was reportedly seen smiling at Stevens after the outburst and sat down next to her for a moment.
Republicans quickly criticized her for the outburst. Calvin Moore, communications director for the GOP super political action committee Congressional Leadership Fund at the time, said, “Haley Stevens has repeatedly proven she lacks the temperament to lead.”
Her 2020 opponent, Republican Eric Esshaki, called her speech embarrassing in an ad. Congressional Leadership Fund also used footage of her speech in their 2020 attack ads.
It wasn’t the first time Stevens caught flak from Republicans for her public outbursts.
Stevens ended a town hall in 2019 focused on gun control as tensions rose, and arguing eventually escalated into shouting. The organizers of the town hall were reportedly not transparent about what the town hall would be focused on when it was booked at the Multi Lakes Conservation Association, a property with multiple shooting ranges.
Stevens and two other local Democrats were drowned out and interrupted by protesters at the gun club. Some attendees repeatedly shouted “NRA” in reference to the National Rifle Association during the event, prompting Stevens to say, “This is why the NRA has got to go.”
“The 11th Congressional District isn’t progressive. It’s Republican. And Republicans support the Second Amendment and we like our legally owned guns,” Meshawn Maddock, chair of the 11th Congressional District Republican Committee at the time, said.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve holding an anti-gun rally in the heart of gun-country. So we will rally voters to show you what voters think about two things. First, your lack of support for our Second Amendment. Then your poor decision to select this location for your town hall,” Maddock continued.
It is unclear if Democratic leadership will endorse a candidate in the race, but Stevens met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) earlier this month, according to CNN.
Few endorsements have been made in the race overall, but so far, Stevens has received the public backing of Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), her former colleague in the House.
A spokesman for the National Republican Senate Campaign, told the Washington Examiner in a statement that Stevens “voted to allow biological males to compete in women’s sports, wants non-citizens voting in our federal elections, and even voted to ban gas-powered cars. Stevens is out-of-touch with the needs of Michigan families.”
SENATE DEMOCRATS SEE HOPE FOR MIDTERMS WITH 2024 DOWNBALLOT RESULTS
The NRSC did not provide a comment relevant to Stevens’s actions at the town hall or on the House floor.
Stevens’s office did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.