Haley Stevens Loses Over Half Her Staff Hours After Backing Republican Mike Rogers

More than half of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens’ congressional staff resigned on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, after the Michigan Democrat endorsed Republican Mike Rogers in the state’s open U.S. Senate race, the Detroit Free Press reported. The walkout came two days before the Nov. 3 general election, in which Rogers faces Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.

Sources: Detroit Free Press, Justin German statement via HuffPost. The exact number of departing aides has not been made public.

Who resigned from the Stevens office

The Free Press described the departures as coming from Stevens’ congressional office and said they were a direct protest of the endorsement. One person who spoke on condition of anonymity called it a “mass resignation,” according to the paper’s account as cited by other outlets. The exact headcount was not released, and no full list of departing employees has been published.

Justin German, who served as Stevens’ chief of staff for eight years, confirmed his own exit in a statement first shared by CNN. “As of this morning, many members of our team have resigned, including myself,” German said, according to HuffPost. “We are shocked and heartbroken by Congresswoman Stevens’ decision to support Mike Rogers.” He urged voters to “vote for Abdul and Democrats up and down the ballot.”

Her communications director, Logan Basch, also left. CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju identified German and Basch among the departing aides, and an automated email reply from the communications director said, “as of November 1st I am no longer with the Office of Congresswoman Haley Stevens,” The Hill reported. A former staffer told Axios that several staff members quit shortly after the announcement.

How the Rogers endorsement unfolded

Stevens, who represents a suburban Detroit district and lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed earlier this year, attended a Sunday service at Perfecting Church on Detroit’s east side seated beside Rogers, a former congressman, the Lansing State Journal reported. Afterward she told reporters outside the church: “I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate. I am one vote in this state.” She added that about 90% of the rest of her ballot would still go to Democrats.

She also released a self-recorded video on social media. In it, she said, “I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign. I do not stand with Hasan Piker,” referring to the left-wing online streamer, and said what Michigan students see from the Democratic nominee “is not hate.”

Stevens had originally been expected at a different Detroit church event Sunday with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, meant as a show of party unity. Days earlier, El-Sayed had told her to stay away from his campaign events after she publicly objected to his criticism of Israel, HuffPost reported. The Hill, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that El-Sayed’s campaign dropped her from the Sunday appearance.

Stevens responds to the walkout

Asked about the departures, Stevens told CNN she is in a “transition.” “I’m running down my office. It’s all been packed up,” she said. “These are great individuals who, you know, I care a lot about. And, you know, certainly, you know, they’re free to share their views on this. I am not trying to upset anyone.”

At a press conference, she called the endorsement “my personal and private decision” and said, “I still love the party. I’ve done a ton for the party,” adding that she would keep voting with Democrats for the rest of her House term, according to The Hill.

Democratic backlash and the Senate stakes

Party leaders reacted quickly. Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel wrote on X that “Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future,” Axios reported. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had favored Stevens in the primary, called the move “a despicable betrayal” and said Democrats were “united in our support” for El-Sayed, according to Vox.

The seat is open, and Michigan is one of the most closely watched contests in the midterm elections, with control of the U.S. Congress at stake. The Guardian described the endorsement as the culmination of an escalating feud between the two former primary rivals, mainly over support for Israel. Axios noted that Stevens came within a few percentage points of winning the nomination months ago.

Whether the endorsement or the staff exodus moves any votes will be known only after polls close Tuesday. For more coverage of national races, see our political news page.

Sources

• Detroit Free Press: More than half of Haley Stevens’ staff quit over Rogers endorsement
• The Hill: Haley Stevens staffers quit following Mike Rogers endorsement
• HuffPost: Haley Stevens’ chief of staff and others resign
• Lansing State Journal: Stevens endorses Rogers and her staff quits
• Axios: Haley Stevens’ endorsement sparks fury from Democrats

Additional sources

• The Guardian: Haley Stevens endorses Mike Rogers
• Vox: Haley Stevens’s feud with Abdul El-Sayed, explained