Haley Stevens supports Republican Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate and splits the Democratic Party
Former Democratic candidate for Senate broke with the party just days before the vote and faced criticism from Chuck Schumer, according to a report from Fox Business.
BY THE X-TRADER NEWS NEWSROOM · REPORTING FROM FOX BUSINESS · 3 MIN
Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens, who ran in the Senate primary for Michigan, announced her support for Republican Mike Rogers in the election against Abdul El-Sayed, her own party's candidate. The decision provoked an immediate reaction among Democrats, according to a report by correspondent Chad Pergram, shown on Fox Business.
According to Pergram, part of the party wants to remove her from the Democratic group in the Chamber (the caucus), but Stevens proved irreducible. She said it was a personal and private decision, and said she woke up on Sunday, decided to go to church and announced that she would vote for Rogers for the United States Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the gesture a "despicable betrayal." Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington called it a political stunt, according to the report.
Israel and internal division
According to coverage, the controversy revolves around support for Israel. In September, Stevens said she was booed as she left the stage at a convention when she described herself as a Zionist Democrat. She said she doesn't see herself as a victim or a hero, just as someone who tries to serve people.
Pergram assessed that the episode exposes divisions within the Democratic Party on several fronts: support for Israel, the participation of transgender athletes in sports and the clash between progressives and moderates. In the correspondent's assessment, this split could hinder the Democrats if they win on Tuesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he spoke with Stevens and encouraged her to stay safe. When asked if she is at risk, she replied that she doesn't know, but that there are dangerous people in politics.
Tight primary and other support for Rogers
On the Fox & Friends program, presenter Ainsley Earhardt recalled that Stevens lost the primary to El-Sayed by 47.5% to 48.5%. According to her, the deputy had the African-American vote in Detroit and could influence part of the Jewish electorate. The presenter also stated that Stevens' fiancé, described as a prominent Democrat, also announced support for Rogers.
The presenters mentioned other names who, according to them, will vote for Rogers: a former El-Sayed campaign advisor, members of the candidate's security team, the Saginaw County sheriff and David Cramer, former finance manager for Elissa Slotkin's campaign. According to the program, Hillary Shelton refused to support El-Sayed and left the vote blank.
Commentator Lawrence criticized El-Sayed for having, in his assessment, an arrogant stance towards black party leaders and questioned whether the candidate represents the entire state or just Dearborn. For presenter Brian, the dispute is bigger than Michigan and signals a moment of tension between moderates and the most left wing of the party.
What to watch out for
The report does not deal with the economy, interest rates or markets. For investors, the point of attention is political: a closed dispute in Michigan could weigh on the composition of the Senate, which influences the pace of the fiscal and tax agenda in Washington. The outcome will be known after Tuesday's vote.
Automatically translated from Portuguese.
