Democratic U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for the seat held by retiring Sen. Gary Peters on Sunday, sharpening a party-unity dispute in Michigan’s Senate race.
The Associated Press said keeping the seat is an important part of Democrats’ effort to win a Senate majority. Rogers is running against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
After El-Sayed defeated Stevens in the August Democratic primary, she said she would help get him elected. But in an endorsement video Sunday, Stevens said El-Sayed had told her to stay away from his campaign. “I am endorsing Mike Rogers,” she said.
A planned joint appearance by Stevens and El-Sayed fell through after a dispute over an outside group’s advertisement linking rising costs to U.S. support for Israel, the AP reported. El-Sayed said Saturday that he opposed the ad and that his campaign had not produced it.
El-Sayed attended a separate Detroit church service Sunday with Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the AP reported. Michigan voters are scheduled to vote Tuesday, Nov. 3.
