Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said Sunday that Rep. Haley Stevens is no longer a member of the party and will not be in the future, after the Michigan Democrat endorsed Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers. Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed earlier this year, appeared with Rogers in Detroit and stated she remained a proud Democrat while citing differences with the nominee’s campaign. The announcement followed reports that the party removed her photo from its website and cut off her access to the Democrats’ voter database, prompting online comments focused on the party’s response to the endorsement.
In the video, Hertel states that “Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future.” The segment does not show earlier exchanges between Hertel and Stevens or the full sequence of events leading to the endorsement.
According to the post and contemporaneous reports, the confirmation came after Stevens appeared with Rogers in Detroit and released a video in which she said El-Sayed had made clear she was “no longer welcome in his campaign” and that “I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
Stevens also said she was “still a very proud Democrat” and that “we have to stand with country.” Reports further indicated that her photo was removed from the state party website and that she lost access to the Democrats’ voter database.
Responses to the Michigan Party’s Action on Rep. Stevens
Democratic leaders focused on the endorsement as a break with the party. Schumer called it “a despicable betrayal” and said Senate Democrats remained united behind Abdul El-Sayed. Hertel stated that Stevens “is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future,” and told reporters she had “lied to members of our delegation” and that “the people of Michigan are betrayed.”
Other responses on the X post and elsewhere questioned the party’s handling of the disagreement. One commenter wrote, “Any sane Democrat should leave now… this episode highlights all you need to know about the DSA/Democrat Party.”
Another said, “Democrats. Kiss the ring, or you are out.” A third commenter stated, “This should be a wake-up call for all moderate Democrats. If you disagree with the party line in the slightest, especially on moral grounds, they will banish you and try to ruin your life.”
Some online users echoed that view, with one writing, “A good democrat is a former democrat who has switched to the Republican Party,” and others welcoming her move.
The endorsement and the party’s response remain part of the final stretch of Michigan’s Senate race. The clip continues to circulate as viewers weigh the statements from Stevens, Hertel, and Democratic leaders.
