Driving the news: In a video posted to X, Stevens said Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign.
- “And he’s right, and that’s why I’m endorsing Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate today,” Stevens said.
- Stevens’ appearance with Rogers came after plans for her to attend a church service in Detroit alongside Democratic candidate El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) fell apart.
- His appearance with Rogers was arranged at the last minute after the two spoke this morning, according to a person familiar.
The plot: A video posted by Detroit journalist Sam Robinson showed Stevens entering the church and praising Rogers.
- Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who helped arrange the originally scheduled appearance with El-Sayed, told CNN that she asked Stevens not to attend because the dispute had become awkward.
- Stevens narrowly lost the August Democratic primary to El-Sayed, but later endorsed him.
Catch up quickly: The bitter primary rivalry erupted again last week when Stevens’ fiancé, Jason Turkish, announced he would vote for Rogers, citing concerns about El-Sayed’s rhetoric on Israel.
- Stevens then demanded that El-Sayed condemn an outside group’s ad linking U.S. support for Israel to higher food prices, and remove a campaign ad featuring Tucker Carlson.
- El-Sayed accused Stevens of restarting the primary. On Saturday, he explicitly rejected the content of the outdoor ad, prompting Stevens to say she appreciated his remarks.
- She then rescinded her approval on Sunday morning.
The other side: A person close to El-Sayed claimed that Stevens’ support could actually help him by strengthening his anti-establishment appeal.
- “It’s good for Abdul,” the person said, describing Stevens as a symbol of the Democratic establishment, Congress and support for the Israeli government.
- The endorsement “shows that Abdul is the candidate for change and for the people of Michigan,” the person added..
What we’re looking at: Michigan voters will choose between Rogers and El-Sayed on Tuesday, with Democrats facing a crucial test: whether they can reunite their coalition.
This is a news article that has been updated.
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