Stevens Endorses Rogers in Final Push Before Michigan Midterms

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed stood at a table at the Royal Oak Farmers Market on Monday afternoon, surrounded by supporters and party leaders. He held a final campaign event with Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. The gathering took place less than 24 hours before polls opened for the 2026 midterm election. El-Sayed did not address the recent shift in support from Rep. Haley Stevens during the event. He told reporters he wanted to focus on issues facing voters and his priorities if elected.

The political landscape in Michigan shifted on Sunday when Stevens publicly endorsed Republican Mike Rogers. Stevens had narrowly lost to El-Sayed in the August primary and previously supported him. She made her switch during an appearance at Perfecting Church in Royal Oak. Rogers responded to the news on Sunday, arguing it showed growing cross-party support for his candidacy. He stated that Democrats for Rogers is real and growing. He noted that a chorus of Democrats around the state is saying El-Sayed is too extreme. Rogers said his conversations with Stevens focused on finding common ground and what was best for the state.

El-Sayed sought to minimize the impact of the endorsement. He said he does not think about Stevens at all. He stated he is more worried about the 9,999,998 people who are not the two of them. He expressed that he is less interested in the politics of the situation. Rogers is expected to campaign in Rochester Hills on Monday night as part of his final push.

Voters across Metro Detroit cited the economy, health care, and education as their primary concerns. Thomas Hardiman, a Detroit voter, dropped off his ballot to ensure his candidate was winning. Tiauna Haynes of Detroit said affordability was a major consideration. She is a new mother and wanted to ensure candidates valued education. Takeyla Haynes urged voters to remember that every ballot makes a difference. She said a single vote matters regardless of what others think.

Ted Strunck, a Royal Oak voter, criticized the privatization of the healthcare system. He called it ridiculous that an advanced country has a broken system where people profit from sickness. Ashley Legato, also from Royal Oak, said becoming a mother shaped her thinking about the future. She wants the country to be a place where she can raise her boys to be good people.

Mallory Lectka of Madison Heights described the endorsement as surprising. She noted that it seemed like someone wanted to continue to sow division. Hope Carmona of Birmingham, an El-Sayed supporter, questioned the motivation behind the switch. She felt the money was speaking and that people are behind El-Sayed’s message because it is for the people. Samantha Francis of Pleasant Ridge expressed concern about the tone of Rogers’ campaign. She said it was negative and fear-mongering. She believed voters in Michigan needed to be pushed together rather than feeling separated.

Aaron Kall, a political analyst and director of debate at the University of Michigan, said early voting could limit the impact of the late endorsement. He noted that many people have already determined who they will vote for. He added that partisanship plays a role but that in a close race, the shift could make a difference. Republican Congressman John James and Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are also facing off in the governor’s race. Both campaigns continued their final efforts as Michigan voters prepared to decide who would represent the state in Washington.