Rep. Haley Stevens faced a heated confrontation after endorsing Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan. During a press conference, an angry crowd heckled Stevens and called her a “traitor.” The situation escalated as the event came to an abrupt end and Stevens was escorted away. Watch the tense exchange and the backlash surrounding Haley Stevens’ endorsement of Mike Rogers, Michigan politics, and the upcoming Senate race.
#HaleyStevens #MikeRogers #MichiganPolitics #MichiganSenateRace #Democrats #Republicans #PoliticalNews #USPolitics #SenateRace #PressConference #PoliticalProtest #Election2026
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#HaleyStevens #MikeRogers #MichiganPolitics #MichiganSenateRace #Democrats #Republicans #PoliticalNews #USPolitics #SenateRace #PressConference #PoliticalProtest #Election2026
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NewsTranscript
00:00The problem was, we have been comfortable in your neighbor's problems in the city.
00:05And what we're trying to do is change that dynamic.
00:07What about the attacks on DEI?
00:09There's no attacks on DEI.
00:11No.
00:12The president endorsed you.
00:14That's my question for Haley Stevens.
00:16How are you supporting a candidate that stands so firmly with some of the policies that you stand so firmly
00:21against?
00:21Look, nothing is perfect.
00:23Nothing is perfect.
00:25Can you just say, when did you guys, did you have any conversations?
00:31Greetings to the press corps.
00:33My name's Haley Stevens.
00:34I'm a proud Democrat.
00:37And I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate.
00:42I am one vote in this state.
00:46Michigan is a swing state.
00:47And I have a divided household, as some of you have heard, up until last night.
00:53But even my own mother cast her vote for Mike Rogers, as my own father cast his vote for Abdul.
01:00This is a very close election.
01:02We all know that.
01:03But Abdul made very clear that I was not welcome in his campaign.
01:09That he didn't need me there.
01:10That he didn't want me there.
01:11And at some point, you've got to look at who's standing for country.
01:19You know, there's always a lot of elections taking place in America.
01:24And this is one.
01:25I'm going to cast my ballot.
01:27I still haven't done that.
01:28And 90% of the votes I'm going to cast are going to be for Democrats.
01:33My vote for Senate, I am just one vote, as is every Michigander.
01:38My vote for Senate is going to be with Mike Rogers.
01:41And I will tell you why.
01:43Because we have to stand with country.
01:47We can't stand with hate.
01:48We can't stand with Hassan Piker.
01:50A friend of mine was talking about how education is on the ballot.
01:55And it's very true.
01:57Well, there's a lot of young people looking at this election.
02:01You know, I was a young person once.
02:05And we've got to make a choice about who is standing with them.
02:09I think that Chuck Schumer is going to become the majority leader.
02:12You know, and I think that there are incredible Democrats and incredible activity taking place across this country.
02:20I stood with my party and I was booed off the stage.
02:26And, you know, it was violently shouted down.
02:29You know, I was up there with other Democrats.
02:32Those people who are on that stage with me, they're going to make their choice.
02:35The ballot box is still very personal and private.
02:40And today, in a moment of faith, tied to my faith and to this great city.
02:46By the way, I'm standing here with a guy named Mike Rogers.
02:50And there's another guy named Mike who ran the city of Detroit for 12 years.
02:57And a lot of Detroiters voted for him.
02:59And, you know, he kind of looks like this guy.
03:02And you know what happened with that, Mike?
03:04You know, he stepped out of his party.
03:06He put up his hand for a brief while.
03:08He was running for governor.
03:09You know, I don't know everything that's going to happen.
03:13You know, and all I can do is lead with love and integrity.
03:17This was a personal and private decision.
03:19I woke up this morning and I decided to go to church.
03:23And I'm here with the person who I am voting for for United States Senate.
03:29And that is Mike Rogers.
03:30Are you concerned?
03:31Thanks.
03:32Thanks.
03:33Let me just say I'm honored to have Haley Stevens support today.
03:37I'm honored to have earned that vote.
03:40You know, when I got the call this morning, obviously, it's probably not the day we anticipated going forward today.
03:47But when we decided to this would be good to worship together today.
03:52I'll just give you a flavor, a little bit of flavor about this.
03:55We talked about America.
03:56What was better for Americans?
03:58What was better for the future of our state by bringing people together?
04:02You know, Martin Luther King said, you cannot solve darkness with darkness.
04:06You have to solve it with light.
04:09You can't solve hate with hate.
04:11You have to solve it with love.
04:13And I talked to Haley about that letter, love letter to Michigan that she wrote that I thought was very,
04:19very good.
04:20And candidly, I'm not I'm glad I'm not running against Haley Stevens, Stevens today.
04:25But what we decided is sometimes there are the hate grows so loud that it jeopardizes some of our citizens
04:34in this state.
04:36When young Jewish women have to hide their Star of Davids to walk across University of Michigan campus, we have
04:42gone too far.
04:43When young men have to wear ball caps over their yarmulkes because they are getting harassed for being Jewish, we
04:50have gone too far.
04:51This is more a statement about standing together against hate and the future of this state and this country than
05:00it is anything else.
05:01And I just want you to know she reminded me at the end of the call.
05:04Remember, I'm still a Democrat.
05:07And there's a big group of Democrats for Rogers.
05:11A lot of them are in my congressional district.
05:14There are a lot of people across this beautiful state.
05:17And of course, you know, Abdul has been running his campaign.
05:21He's been working really hard.
05:22I don't want to undermine that.
05:24I just want to be honest about where I am and where my heart is at this time.
05:29Did you have any?
05:30Did you have any?
05:31We'll take a couple questions, but we'll do it in an organized way.
05:33We'll do it in an organized way, please.
05:35Can we get outlet and name when we call on people?
05:36We'll start down here.
05:37Can we get name and outlet?
05:39Are you concerned with the harm this could do to the Democratic Party?
05:43Look, the Democratic Party is going to have another big election coming up.
05:47I'm not trying to harm anyone.
05:49I've worked really hard for Democrats.
05:51I'm not turning my back on Democrats.
05:54It is this one vote.
05:55And I will tell you why.
05:57Because when you see hate, when you see a standing with Hassan Piker and repeated hate, it's not acceptable.
06:04That's it.
06:05It's my personal and private decision.
06:07I still love the party.
06:09I've done a ton for the party.
06:10I've voted with the party over and over and over again.
06:13I'm going to continue to do that as I fill out my term.
06:16Everyone should be fired up for Democrats.
06:18You know, we're just here in Michigan, right?
06:21I know that this looks like it's a big national election.
06:24It's a Michigan election.
06:26It's a Michigan moment.
06:28And everyone is entitled to their opinion.
06:30And I respect it.
06:32I respect how people are going to cast their vote.
06:35You know, I'm doing so with love and faith to community and to integrity.
06:39I am certainly not trying to hurt anyone.
06:42I know these parties are big and powerful forces.
06:46And, you know, I respect that.
06:48You know, I've been a Democrat for a long time.
06:50But Abdul was very clear.
06:53He said, don't come.
06:54I endorsed him.
06:55I meant it when I endorsed him.
06:56I gave him a big hug.
06:58I stood there.
06:59I was just having a good time.
07:00I love volunteering on campaigns.
07:02And when it really comes down to it, this is how I'm passing my ballot.
07:08It's going to be a close election.
07:10And everyone can take a look at the facts.
07:15We'll go back here with Bridge.
07:16We'll go right here with Bridge.
07:18Congresswoman Lauren Gibbons with Bridge, Michigan.
07:20What's your message to Democrats who are upset that throughout the primary you said you would endorse the Democratic nominee
07:26and you're not doing so today?
07:28Yeah.
07:28And I'm sorry people are upset.
07:30And I understand that.
07:31I did endorse the Democratic nominee.
07:34And he chose to close this campaign by saying I wasn't welcome.
07:38I've never been invited to a campaign event.
07:40That's fine.
07:41You know, he's busy.
07:42He's run all around.
07:42I've had primaries before myself.
07:44It's not about that.
07:46This is about leadership and integrity.
07:48This is about looking in the mirror about how real Democrats for Rogers are.
07:54Constituents of mine that are on, you know, out there saying putting themselves out there publicly and others who aren't.
08:00And that's fine.
08:01You know, there's there's going to be people who agree with me, people who disagree with me.
08:05All the love to them and all the excitement for what is down the road.
08:12Congresswoman Stevens over here.
08:13Thank you so much.
08:15Michael Schnell with MSNOW.
08:16Two questions.
08:17First off, what is your message to Democrats who say that this endorsement and your support of Mike Rogers could
08:22be the reason why Democrats lose this Senate seat and then lose control of their opportunity to take control of
08:27the Senate?
08:27And then second off, Abdul El-Sayed has been the target of a number of Islamophobic attacks.
08:32How do you square you standing here with Mike Rogers to that sentiment?
08:35Yeah.
08:36Well, look, I'll say this, that I deeply respect where party leaders who I've worked for, who I admire, who
08:42I want to see continue to be successful.
08:44I respect where they stand.
08:46I'm just very politely as a Michigander sharing where I stand.
08:50I am aware that my name is not on the ballot.
08:53And, you know, there's going to be a vote that gets cast.
08:56It's going to get tallied up.
08:58And that's what we're going to have to look at.
09:00Look at the Michiganders.
09:01You know, look at the actual people, because that is really what's on the line here.
09:07It's the people.
09:09I'm not trying to sway any election.
09:11I'm sure, you know, all you are here.
09:12It's too late for him to put up another TV ad.
09:15The social media moves by the minute.
09:17But this is about Michigan and just one vote that I am taking.
09:22Not trying to, you know, overly sway anything.
09:26Just being honest and where I woke up this morning feeling in my heart.
09:31Wait a minute.
09:32Wait a minute.
09:33I'm just going to weigh in on this.
09:35I'm just going to weigh in on this for a second.
09:37I'm honored to have Haley Stevens vote, which is what she gave me this morning or promised to give me
09:45this morning.
09:45But Rogers for Democrats or Democrats for Rogers, excuse me, let me get that right, is real.
09:51And it's growing.
09:53And there is a chorus of Democrats around this state saying that Abdul is too extreme.
09:58I mean, it's pretty angry and hateful not to be able to condemn an ad that is maybe the most
10:04racist ad I have seen in my time in politics.
10:08Blaming a certain group of people for all of your problems.
10:12That sounds like 1933.
10:13It doesn't sound like 1926.
10:15And it has consequences for those communities.
10:19They're Jewish Democrats are calling me afraid for their children to stay in the state of Michigan.
10:25We can't have it.
10:27So I am really proud to have her vote.
10:29But it is bigger than that as well.
10:31There are lots of Democrats.
10:33And all we can do is speak for ourselves.
10:35You know, you mentioned Islamophobia, Abdul and his incredible family.
10:39They are very proud Muslim Americans and Muslim Americans are going to cast their vote as well.
10:46Right. And I don't want to speak for anyone.
10:49All I can do is speak for myself.
10:51I'm sure that Mike is talking with and working with, you know, some of the Muslim American community.
10:57That is that is one of our pride and joys here in Michigan.
10:59This is not anti-Muslim at all.
11:04It's just simply where I am in this moment.
11:08I'm at a church.
11:09I'm with my faith.
11:10I'm being honest with the public.
11:12And, you know, I'm excited to see what Michigan does.
11:17Last question.
11:18Last question.
11:20Last question.
11:21Last question.
11:23Talk about how frustrated they are with the Republican Party.
11:27I asked you about voting rights yesterday.
11:28How do you square all the things that some of your biggest advocates said were too much for them to
11:33support?
11:33Well, I'm going to speak for myself for a minute because I'm going to continue to work with the incredible
11:38Keith Williams,
11:40whose message is faith, family and freedom.
11:43And that is something that we heard here in this church.
11:46I'm going to return to private citizen life and be in community, be with friendship.
11:51We had a great sermon on friendship here today.
11:53Keith Williams is a mentor of mine and I will continue to be working alongside him.
12:00Wendell Anthony is a great faith leader.
12:02He is a great man.
12:04I have disappointed him on a couple of things in the past.
12:08If I've disappointed him now, I will hear from him and I will listen and I will bring him in
12:14the fold.
12:14But the tent that I'm in just me and my circle is that even when we disagree, we can still
12:21be friends.
12:22And so that's where I look at these things.
12:25You know, Keith has done a lot of great work.
12:27I am going to continue to support him.
12:29And I know that one of the pieces of legislation that I've worked on with black owned businesses, that's something
12:37I want to see taken up in the new Senate.
12:40We don't know what the Senate is going to look like.
12:41I'm not trying to be the soothsayer on it.
12:44I'm not trying to be the soothsayer on anything other than the integrity of being honest with people.
12:50When someone says to you, you are not welcome in my campaign, you take the message.
12:55And that's what Abdul said.
12:57I just want to say this.
12:58This is courage in politics in America today.
13:01When you see a party and at least a sliver of the party veering off into the virile hate that
13:07they have been spewing toward a group of people, it gets dangerous.
13:11It takes courage for someone to stand up and say, can't do that, not going to do that.
13:17We're going to change that direction.
13:19We've been working with black pastors on the other side of that, lots of them, about two dozen.
13:23We've had great conversations about all the issues you just talked about and how we can work together to move
13:29forward on all of that.
13:30There are more productive conversations happening in the city of Detroit today than I've ever seen.
13:35Matter of fact, I had a pastor tell me he hadn't seen a Republican in a pew there in over
13:4050 years.
13:41But the problem was we have been comfortable in your neighbor's problems in the city.
13:46And what we're trying to do is change that dynamic.
13:49What about the attacks on DEI?
13:51There's no attacks on DEI.
13:52What about the attacks on voting rights that you were a president that endorsed you?
13:55Well, listen.
13:56That's my question for Haley Stevens.
13:57How are you supporting a candidate that stands so firmly with some of the policies that you stand so firmly
14:02against?
14:03Well, look, nothing is perfect.
14:05Nothing is perfect.
14:07Can you just say quickly, when did you guys, did you have any conversations?
14:11Thank you all.
14:12Thank you all.