Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats will weigh ‘next steps’ after Haley Stevens backs Republican Mike Rogers

Jeffries said Stevens “made a terrible decision” and signaled the caucus will discuss what comes next when Congress returns.

Rep. Haley Stevens crossed party lines in Michigan’s Senate race, and House Democratic leadership is signaling she may pay a price for it.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Politico that Stevens “made a terrible decision, blindsided everyone and isolated herself from the House Democratic Caucus,” The Hill reported. He said Democrats would discuss “appropriate next steps” when Congress returns Nov. 9, less than a week after Election Day.

Stevens on Sunday endorsed former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, choosing him over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. She has also campaigned alongside Rogers in recent days.

The endorsement carries institutional consequences. House Democratic Caucus rules state that members seeking to remain in good standing cannot participate in campaign activities for a candidate in a partisan federal election who is not a Democrat. Stevens has since defended her decision.

The split traces back to the Democratic primary, which El-Sayed narrowly won over Stevens earlier this year. Relations between the two have deteriorated sharply since. Stevens’ fiancé, who is Jewish, also endorsed Rogers after objecting to El-Sayed’s position on Israel.

According to a source who spoke with NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, El-Sayed told Stevens last week to stay away from his campaign events and withdrew her invitation to a scheduled appearance. The friction escalated when Stevens indicated she expected El-Sayed to apologize for previous remarks some critics have characterized as antisemitic.

El-Sayed answered publicly, writing Friday that Stevens appeared determined to relitigate a primary that ended months ago. He urged supporters to stay focused on defeating Rogers, holding Trump accountable and reducing money’s role in politics.

Party leaders have rallied around the nominee. Jeffries wrote on X that El-Sayed would always put the American people first and fight to lower the high cost of living, describing his election as critical to Democrats winning control of the Senate.

Michigan Democrats went further. State party chair Curtis Hertel posted Sunday that Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party and will not be one in the future.

The episode underscores how high the stakes are in Michigan, where Democrats see the open seat as essential to flipping the chamber. A public break from a sitting Democratic lawmaker this close to Election Day gives Republicans a ready-made message about division on the left.