Rep. Haley Stevens turned a last-minute Senate endorsement into a full-scale staff exodus Sunday, backing Republican nominee Mike Rogers over her own party’s candidate, progressive Abdul El-Sayed. The move came just two days before the midterm election, making the timing about as subtle as a political fire alarm.
Stevens appeared with Rogers at Perfecting Church on Detroit’s east side during a “family and friends’ day” service. She had narrowly lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed in August, then initially endorsed him. In recent days, however, the two Democrats had been feuding over Israel and antisemitism.
Stevens had demanded that El-Sayed condemn an advertisement supporting his campaign that linked U.S. aid to Israel with rising American grocery prices. She called the ad antisemitic. El-Sayed’s campaign responded by disinviting her from a planned unity-style church event featuring Rep. Jim Clyburn and telling her to stay away. Stevens later explained that the campaign had made its position perfectly clear, saying, “I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
She added that El-Sayed “said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he’s right. … I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign.” Rogers praised Stevens as a “courageous leader.”
Stevens’ endorsement video was posted on X here:
The response from her congressional office was immediate. Washington Sun reporter Igor Bobic shared an automatic reply from communications director Logan Basch stating, “Hello, as of November 1st I am no longer with the Office of Congresswoman Haley Stevens.”
That post is available here:
CNN’s Manu Raju reported that Basch and Justin German, Stevens’ longtime chief of staff, were among the aides leaving. German had run Stevens’ office since she entered Congress in 2019. Staff loyalty, apparently, had a very specific expiration date once the Rogers endorsement landed.
Raju’s report is here:
In a statement provided to Raju, German said, “As Haley Stevens’ Chief of Staff for eight years, I speak on behalf of our team in wholeheartedly supporting Abdul El-Sayed for Senate. This election is too important to sow division or stand on the sidelines. We are shocked and heartbroken by Congresswoman Stevens’ decision to support Mike Rogers.”
German also said that Michigan voters on the staff were supporting Democrats up and down the ballot and would continue working to elect Democratic majorities. The statement added, “As of this morning, many members of our team have resigned, including myself,” before urging voters to support El-Sayed and other Democrats.
Raju posted the statement here:
Former Stevens campaign manager and staffer George Lundgren offered a considerably shorter response. Quoting Stevens’ endorsement video, Lundgren wrote, “F-ck this sh-t.” It was not exactly the polished language of a unity event, but it left little room for confusion.
Lundgren’s post is here:
Additional resignations were expected. Michigan’s Senate race is among the most closely watched contests in the country, and the outcome could affect control of the chamber. For Stevens, an endorsement meant to settle a political dispute has instead opened another fight inside her own congressional operation.
Source: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/11/breaking-rep-haley-stevens-chief-staff-justin-german/
