During spontaneous interviews at polling stations in Michigan, voters revealed that U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens’ surprising endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers played a significant role in reshaping their voting intentions. Having lost to Democrat Abdul El-Sayed earlier, Stevens shifted her support dramatically after a split with her prior choice.
One voter shared with WWMT that Stevens’ endorsement encouraged her to back Rogers. “It’s like her backing him gives people permission to rethink their choices,” she noted outside a Kalamazoo location.
She elaborated, saying, “You can switch parties and vote for who you believe will serve Michigan best, rather than just adhering to a straight ticket.”
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Michigan voter says Haley Stevens' endorsement convinced her to vote for @MikeRogersforMI:
"It’s almost like her endorsing him is giving people permission to change their minds." pic.twitter.com/MrFkzk4Gae
— Bobby LaValley (@Bobby_LaVallley) November 3, 2026
Another voter expressed gratitude that Stevens demonstrated it’s okay to deviate from the norm, saying, “We can embrace change, regardless of others’ judgments.” This sentiment echoed throughout the interviews.
A first-time Republican voter, previously a Democratic primary supporter, affirmed her choice after being asked about voting for a Republican after backing Stevens. “That’s a significant shift,” the CNN reporter remarked.
Another man who chose Rogers cited dissatisfaction with El-Sayed’s comments, revealing that he had never before voted Republican but felt compelled to do so in this instance.
The reporter pressed him on why he voted against CNN as well. “I stand against hate,” he responded firmly.
CNN: "You voted for Stevens in the primary but now you voted Republican?"
VOTER: "Yes"
CNN: "That's a pretty bold message."
VOTER: "Yeah" pic.twitter.com/UgXUV4VbHA
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 3, 2026
These voter reactions followed Stevens’ high-profile endorsement just two days before the election. Following a narrow loss in the Democratic primary, she made a public appearance with Rogers at a church service in Detroit, showing a strong pivot.
Following a conflict that saw El-Sayed claim Stevens was unwelcome in his campaign, she decided to endorse Rogers after a contentious week that included his campaign’s controversial advertisement linking grocery prices to U.S. aid to Israel. Stevens condemned the ad as antisemitic and requested a disavowal.
Despite initially signaling she would support the Democratic nominee, Stevens’s recent actions have upended expectations in what many analysts consider a critical Senate race that may influence the chamber’s power dynamics.
