Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens has pushed back against backlash surrounding her surprise endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, insisting that the decision was entirely her own.
Days later, Stevens publicly endorsed Rogers on the Sunday before Election Day. The endorsement came after she attended a church service in Detroit alongside the Republican candidate, drawing attention and sparking debate among Democrats. Allies of Stevens have raised serious concerns about Turkish, following her unexpected endorsement of Rogers. Stevens’ friend Jordan Acker alleged that Turkish had taken away the congresswoman’s phone, an accusation Turkish has denied. Sunday that she intended to remain silent, making her subsequent appearance with Rogers particularly surprising. He further mentioned that he had heard troubling accounts of Turkish’s treatment of Stevens’ staff, friends and political allies, adding that his own experiences had further heightened his concerns. In a statement posted on X late Monday, Stevens dismissed suggestions that her fiancé or anyone else had made the decision on her behalf. She argued that such criticism reflected a sexist assumption that women in public office cannot independently make controversial political choices. Stevens emphasised that she and Turkish hold their own political opinions, maintaining that her endorsement reflected her personal convictions rather than outside pressure. “My fiancé has his own views. I have mine. I made this decision, and I am proud of it. If elected, he would make history as the first Muslim to serve in the US Senate.
He said the congresswoman had said at 8:58 a.m. Stevens’ endorsement came in the final days of the Senate campaign, despite a New York Times poll released on Sunday showing El-Sayed holding a substantial lead over Rogers, with 53 percent support compared to Rogers’ 42 percent. Because you disagree with my conclusion, do not question my independence simply.
Meanwhile, former Stevens consultant Cailin Legacki described the couple’s relationship as “absolutely toxic” and claimed that people close to Stevens had feared it was “emotionally abusive. Acker, a University of Michigan regent, shared his concerns in a lengthy post on X on Sunday, saying he had become “deeply troubled” by Turkish’s behaviour. “I don’t know what changed in the two hours that followed,” Acker wrote. “Think about what that says. A woman can serve in Congress , run statewide, and fight for her convictions, and still be told that when she makes a choice people dislike, someone else must be pulling the strings. “That is sexism dressed up as political analysis,” Stevens added.
He had spoken with Stevens several times on Saturday, according to Acker. Meanwhile, El-Sayed received a record-breaking surge in donations on Sunday, reflecting strong financial support for his campaign.
Stevens issued the response after some critics suggested that her fiancé, Jason Turkish, may have influenced her political stance. The controversy emerged following Turkish’s comments to The Detroit News on Wednesday, when he expressed support for Rogers and criticised Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s remarks concerning Israel.
