Nov 2, 2026 · 28 min
Haley Stevens’s endorsement switch rattles Michigan Democrats
Even Chuck Schumer Was Disgusted By Haley Stevens' Betrayal of Abdul El-Sayed
The episode examines whether Stevens’s defection could move Democratic-leaning voters and affect the balance of power in the Senate.
- 1Haley Stevens’s switch from Abdul El-Sayed to Mike Rogers creates a sharp contradiction with her earlier criticism of Rogers.
- 2The hosts contrast Donald Trump’s attacks and Rogers’s response with Abdul El-Sayed’s measured focus on voters, rights, and opposition to hate.
- 3Democratic leaders condemn the endorsement while warning that wavering Michigan voters could help Rogers or skip the Senate race.
Don't miss
Abdul El-Sayed responds to Stevens’s endorsement by focusing on voters, rights, and opposition to hate rather than attacking her personally.
The brief
Haley Stevens withdraws her support for Abdul El-Sayed and endorses Republican Mike Rogers, despite previously criticizing Rogers and backing El-Sayed.
Dan Pfeiffer and Jon treat the reversal as politically incoherent, weighing conflicting explanations, Stevens’s recent public behavior, and the possibility that the primary is being relitigated.
The hosts examine the rhetoric surrounding Mike Rogers and Donald Trump, contrasting attacks on Abdul El-Sayed with Stevens’s stated opposition to hate.
Abdul El-Sayed answers without attacking Stevens personally, returning to voters, rights, policy, and the stakes of the Michigan Senate race.
Condemnations from Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and other Democrats frame the endorsement as consequential, especially if it gives wavering voters permission to support Rogers or stay home.
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