Michigan Democrat backs Republican in crucial Senate race

A prominent Michigan Democrat has endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers just days before the US midterm elections, creating fresh divisions within the Democratic Party and giving President Donald Trump’s party an unexpected boost.

US Representative Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, appeared alongside Rogers at a church in Detroit on Sunday to announce her support. Her decision came as Michigan emerged as one of the key battleground states that could determine control of the Senate.

Stevens had been expected to appear with El-Sayed at a campaign event as part of an effort to demonstrate party unity. However, the planned appearance fell apart after she criticised an advertisement by an outside group that she said blamed Israel for rising grocery prices.

In a video posted on social media, Stevens said she did not belong in El-Sayed’s campaign. She later told CNN that the advertisement had been deeply upsetting and argued that some Democrats were being made to feel unwelcome in their own party.

El-Sayed’s campaign had reportedly asked Stevens to stay away from its events until Election Day to avoid distracting voters from the main issues.

Republicans quickly welcomed her endorsement. Rogers described the move as an act of political courage and accused parts of the Democratic Party of promoting hostility towards a particular community.

Trump also praised Stevens during a rally in Iowa, saying he would contact her to thank her for the endorsement. He further invited her to join the Republican Party. Trump also repeated his attacks on El-Sayed, falsely describing the Democratic candidate as a “jihadist”.

The endorsement triggered criticism among some Democrats. Several members of Stevens’ congressional staff reportedly resigned following her announcement, while some voters expressed anger over her decision.

However, the move did not appear to weaken El-Sayed’s campaign. A New York Times/Siena poll released on Sunday showed him leading Rogers by 53 per cent to 42 per cent.

His campaign also reported raising $1.2 million within four hours of Stevens’ endorsement. The amount marked its second-best fundraising day since the Democratic primary in August.

El-Sayed sought to shift attention back to voters, saying the contest was about the people of Michigan rather than individual political figures.

The controversy comes as Americans prepare to vote in midterm elections on Tuesday. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are being contested.

Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers. Polling suggests Democrats have a strong chance of winning control of the House, while the Senate contest remains closely fought.

A Democratic victory in either chamber could complicate Trump’s legislative agenda during the final two years of his presidency. It could also allow lawmakers to launch investigations into his administration.

Meanwhile, a separate political dispute emerged in Alaska after a federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to prevent the certification of election results if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan narrowly loses.

The lawsuit argued that voters could be confused by the presence of another candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr on the ballot.

The issue gained attention after reports suggested that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign had been involved in recruiting Sullivan Jr as a potential spoiler candidate. Peltola has denied any involvement, while Sullivan Jr has rejected claims that he coordinated with her campaign.

Senator Sullivan said he would accept the outcome of Tuesday’s election but continued to accuse his opponent of using a candidate with a similar name to divert votes.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has also raised questions about whether he would certify a possible victory for Peltola. Sullivan, however, declined to say whether he would support any attempt to block certification.