Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) rejected claims that her fiance, Jason Turkish, played a role in her last-minute decision to endorse Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers, calling the speculation sexist.
Stevens, who flipped her endorsement to Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul el Sayed two days before the midterm elections and left fellow Democrats gobsmacked, addressed the idea proposed by critics that Turkish influenced her decision in a lengthy X post titled “The Decisions We Make.” Her fiance said last week he would not support el Sayed because of his stance on Israel.
“Some critics have also dragged my fiancé into this, suggesting he or others must have made my decision for me,” she said. “Think about what that says. A woman can serve in Congress, run statewide, and fight for her convictions, and still be told that when she makes a choice people dislike, someone else must be pulling the strings.”
“That is sexism dressed up as political analysis,” she continued. “My fiancé has his own views. I have mine. I made this decision, and I am proud of it. Do not question my independence simply because you disagree with my conclusion.”
Stevens broke down her reasoning for backing Rogers, emphasizing that her choice was “not impulsive, and it was not made for me by anyone else.” She explained that she was “shut out” by el Sayed’s campaign despite the candidate accepting her endorsement following her primary loss.
MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS’ UNITY CAMPAIGN ENDS IN DIVORCE
Additionally, she said the advertising released by el Sayed’s campaign and others endorsing him went too far.
“One, from a group supporting Abdul, tied the cost of groceries to America’s support for Israel,” she said. “Another, from Abdul’s own campaign, featured Tucker Carlson, whose racist and anti-Black rhetoric has no place in a Democratic campaign. I heard directly from Black voters, Jewish voters, and others about how deeply these messages hurt. They deserved to be heard, not dismissed.”
“Reasonable people can disagree about Israel, Gaza, and American foreign policy,” she added. “But blaming Israel for the price of eggs and elevating Tucker Carlson are not the way to build trust or bring people together.”
Left-wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker appearing with el Sayed seemed to be the red line for Stevens, as she said el Sayed’s “decision to embrace Piker in the first place raised serious questions about his judgment and his ability to bring people together.” Piker is staunchly opposed to Israel and has been criticized for his comments about Jewish Americans.
Stevens said she had asked el Sayed to condemn the ad from Rebellion PAC blaming support for Israel for high grocery prices, which he did, but afterward the congresswoman was told she was not welcome at campaign events.
Additionally, Stevens addressed the criticism unleashed by party leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), saying the response “troubled” her.
“Instead of asking why a lifelong Democrat reached this point, some leaders rushed to condemn me, question my motives, and push me out,” she said. “That response reveals something deeply troubling about what is missing in today’s Democratic Party. We cannot preach inclusion while punishing dissent. We cannot promise to heal a divided country if we cannot tolerate disagreement among ourselves. And we cannot build a lasting majority by making Americans feel their concerns are unwelcome.”
DEMOCRATS RALLY AROUND EL SAYED AFTER STEVENS DEFECTION IN FINAL HOURS OF CAMPAIGN
Stevens said she hopes Rogers can represent Michigan in the Senate in the same way late Sen. John McCain served, as a lawmaker “willing to put country before party and stand up to his own side when conscience requires it.”
Despite Stevens’s last-minute switch to Rogers, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report’s final rating placed el Sayed in a favorable position to win, moving the race from a “toss-up” to “lean Democrat.” Its assessment also shifted the broader Senate battle toward Democrats.