Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan will no longer participate as a panelist at a post-election analysis event scheduled for Thursday at George Washington University. The decision comes just days after the Democrat made a controversial move by endorsing the Republican candidate in the state's Senate race, a decision that sparked significant backlash within her party.
The event, planned for Thursday evening, was described by organizers as an engaging conversation featuring leading political experts. Stevens was originally slated to join a panel that included CNN correspondent Manu Raju, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Inside Elections editor Nathan Gonzales, and Morris Katz, a media strategist for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign. Former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who currently serves as the executive director of the university's graduate school of political management, was also part of the lineup.
University representatives and Stevens's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding her withdrawal. Notably, the university had previously promoted the event while listing Stevens as a participant, even after she had already announced her support for former Rep. Mike Rogers. This endorsement marked a sharp reversal from her previous backing of Abdul El-Sayed, her opponent in the Democratic primary.
Stevens's endorsement of Rogers ultimately did not secure a victory for the Republican. Rogers lost to El-Sayed by seven points on Tuesday, a result that contributed to a strong national performance for Democrats. The loss highlighted the impact of Stevens's decision, which had drawn criticism from various figures within the Michigan Democratic Party.
The chair of the Michigan Democratic Party was among the harshest critics, stating that Stevens was no longer considered a member of the party and would not be in the future. Other prominent Michigan Democrats also voiced their displeasure with Stevens's choice to back her opponent's rival. This group included sitting Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, as well as Rep. Debbie Dingell.
Prior to the general election, Stevens had been scheduled to appear alongside the now senator-elect El-Sayed at a church in Detroit. That event was intended to serve as a show of unity and would have been their first public appearance together since the primary. Instead, Stevens chose to attend a church event with Rogers after days of criticizing El-Sayed.
The tension between the two candidates had escalated following an advertisement run by an outside progressive group. The ad blamed Israel for high grocery prices in the United States. Stevens criticized El-Sayed over the ad, although his campaign stated that it had no involvement in its creation. The issue of Israel and its war in Gaza had been a major factor in the Democratic primary, with El-Sayed supporting a cut in U.S. aid to Israel while Stevens received millions in outside spending from pro-Israel lobbying groups.
