Democrats Demand Haley Stevens’ Expulsion After She Backs Republican in Michigan Senate Race

House Democrats are demanding that Rep. Haley Stevens be expelled from their congressional caucus after the Michigan Democrat endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers over her own party’s nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, just two days before the midterm elections. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has indicated that party leaders will address the controversy when lawmakers return to Washington after Election Day.

Stevens, who narrowly lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed, stunned fellow Democrats Sunday by appearing alongside Rogers at a Detroit church and announcing her support for the Republican candidate. The endorsement immediately triggered calls for disciplinary action, including demands that she be stripped of her committee assignments.

Jeffries sharply criticized Stevens but stopped short of announcing an immediate punishment, leaving the decision about her remaining time in the Democratic caucus until after the elections.

“Haley Stevens made a terrible decision, blindsided everyone and isolated herself from the House Democratic caucus. We will have a discussion about appropriate next steps upon our return,” Jeffries told POLITICO.

A senior Democratic aide told Fox News Digital that Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, would likely follow Jeffries’ lead in determining how to respond. Neither leader’s office provided additional comment.

Stevens, a four-term congresswoman whose House tenure ends in January, has maintained a strained relationship with El-Sayed since losing their Senate primary contest. Although she initially signaled support for the Democratic nominee, she repeatedly raised objections to his positions concerning Israel and his approach to Jewish and Black voters.

The dispute intensified over the weekend after Stevens indicated that she intended to attend a church event with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina as part of an effort to encourage Black voter participation. El-Sayed’s campaign subsequently made clear that it did not want her appearing at its events.

Stevens instead attended a different church service with Rogers and his wife, where she publicly threw her support behind the Republican. The move caught Democratic officials off guard, particularly after Stevens had reportedly assured colleagues that she would not endorse Rogers.

Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan said Stevens had told her “multiple times” during the weekend that she would not support the Republican candidate.

“I don’t know what changed between late Saturday and Sunday morning,” Dingell said during a CNN interview Monday.

The fallout extended beyond Capitol Hill. Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel announced that Stevens would no longer be welcome in the state party following her decision to support Rogers.

Hertel wrote that Stevens “is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future” after she backed Rogers.

Within the House Democratic Caucus, progressive lawmakers responded with particularly harsh criticism, accusing Stevens of abandoning her party at a critical moment in the election campaign.

Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois demanded Stevens’ removal, portraying the endorsement as a betrayal of Democratic voters and principles.

“Deplorable and embarrassing. Capitulating to fascism, Islamophobia, racism and the policies hurting everyday Americans makes you unfit to serve with the Democratic caucus,” Ramirez wrote on X. “Shame on Haley Stevens. She must be removed from the caucus.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington joined the criticism, declaring that Stevens “has no place in our party,” according to POLITICO.

The Democratic backlash has reached Stevens’ own congressional office. Multiple staff members resigned following her announcement, including longtime chief of staff Justin German, who said he was “shocked and heartbroken” by the endorsement. Stevens’ communications director, Logan Basch, also departed, with an automatic email response confirming that he was “no longer with the Office of Congresswoman Haley Stevens” as of November 1.