President Donald Trump publicly invited Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) to join the Republican Party after she withdrew her endorsement of fellow Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s open Senate race and backed former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) instead.
Trump made the comments Sunday while speaking to supporters at a rally in Dubuque, Iowa. He praised Stevens for what he called bravery in making the switch and said he hoped she would leave the Democratic Party altogether.
“I’m happy with what she did. She was very brave in doing it. So, I don’t know Haley — I’ve never met Haley — but Haley said what few people are willing to say. I’d love her to join the Republican Party, actually. I think that could happen.”
Trump also said Stevens had shown “great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the great people of Michigan,” before turning to sharp criticism of El-Sayed, calling him a “jihadist” and suggesting he would require special screening if elected to the Senate.
“That’s another important election for us. We don’t want to have a jihadist […] Can you imagine, we’ll have to put him through metal detectors […] We’ll have 100 senators, and most of them they can go direct — we’re going to have to get a special metal detector for Abdul.”
Trump added, “A party that hates America cannot be allowed to lead the people who built America.”
Earlier Sunday, Trump had posted favorably about Stevens on Truth Social, describing her as a “Highly Respected Democrat” with backing across Michigan, “especially our African American and Jewish populations,” and writing, “It’s a thing called bravery, and few people have it like just displayed by Congresswoman Haley Stevens!”
Stevens Breaks With El-Sayed
Stevens had endorsed El-Sayed in August but reversed course Sunday morning, announcing she was instead backing Rogers for the Senate seat. In a statement to Michigan voters, she said El-Sayed’s campaign had told her she was no longer welcome and should stay away — and that she agreed.
“Hey Michigan, as you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he’s right. That’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United State Senate today. I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign. I do not stand with Hasan Piker, who gets trafficked on our college campuses. A dear friend of mine earlier today was saying that education is on the ballot and she is absolutely right. What our students see, what our children see, and who we are as Michiganders is not hate. And is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now.”
The rupture between the two Democrats followed a tense primary contest. El-Sayed’s campaign reportedly asked Stevens to stay away from his remaining events after she called on him to “denounce antisemitic hate” in response to an ad he ran criticizing U.S. tax dollars going to Israel.
Stevens’ fiancé, who is Jewish, has also said he plans to vote for Rogers in the race.
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