1% margin fuels feud as Stevens avoids explicit El-Sayed endorsement
Former Michigan Senate rival Haley Stevens faced sharp criticism from progressives on Sunday for declining to explicitly name her defeated opponent during a national television interview.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan drew immediate fire from progressive allies on Sunday after she declined to explicitly endorse her former primary rival, Abdul El-Sayed, during an appearance on CNN. The exchange occurred one week before the midterm elections, a timing that left little room for error in the tight Senate race. Stevens, who lost the Democratic nomination in June, appeared on the network's "State of the Union" program to discuss the state of her party. When asked directly about El-Sayed, Stevens stated she is still on the team. She added that she supports the Democratic ticket broadly, including the party's candidate for governor, Jocelyn Benson. She also referenced the effort to make Hakeem Jeffries the first Black Speaker of the House.
The brevity of Stevens' response triggered a rapid backlash on social media. Leah Greenberg, the leader of the activist group Indivisible, urged Stevens to stay off television. Greenberg argued that with voting underway in late October, a nominee who could be the key vote to flip the Senate deserves a full-throated endorsement. She warned that hesitation could hurt the party's chances in the 2028 cycle. Other progressives joined the critique, with Kyle Blomquist accusing Stevens of favoring former Sen. Mike Rogers. Emma Vigeland claimed Stevens was sabotaging the race to protect her own career and financial interests.
The conflict highlights the lingering tension from the primary contest. El-Sayed defeated Stevens by a narrow one-point margin. El-Sayed captured 48.5% of the vote, while Stevens received 47.5%. A third candidate, Mallory McMorrow, finished with 4% after a fellow Democrat dropped out. Stevens had been the establishment-backed choice, with support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. El-Sayed, by contrast, is backed by progressive members of Congress, including Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Not all Democrats agreed with the harsh criticism. Strategist Lis Smith pushed back on the idea that Stevens' silence was damaging. Smith suggested that the enthusiasm for other Democratic candidates in races across the country validates their quality. She argued that having candidates people want to associate with is a positive factor in assessing the party's strength. Fox News Digital reached out to Stevens for comment on the online reaction, but did not immediately hear back as of Sunday.
