Former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard, a long-time confidant of Rep. Haley Stevens, revealed a surprising change in her political stance. Less than 48 hours after dining with Blanchard and affirming her support for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Stevens endorsed Republican nominee Mike Rogers instead. The sudden shift has drawn criticism from Democratic leaders, who consider it potentially damaging to her career.
Stevens, having previously lost to El-Sayed in the primaries, initially backed him in August. Her unexpected endorsement of Rogers occurred at a Black church service in Detroit, a stark divergence from her planned appearance with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn at another service. Stevens and her fiancé, Jason Turkish, had recently intensified their criticisms of El-Sayed’s stance on Israel, demanding he reject ads viewed as antisemitic.
The tensions reached a point where El-Sayed’s campaign requested Stevens avoid future events. Turkish, a donor to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), had expressed concerns over El-Sayed and had endorsed Rogers prior to the critical dinner with Stevens. Blanchard described Turkish’s demeanor at the dinner as pressing and emotional, attempting to sway Stevens by pointing out supposed disappointments in her earlier endorsement of El-Sayed.
Stevens’ decision has puzzled many, including Blanchard, who viewed Turkish’s influence on her as negative. Blanchard had advised Stevens against letting Turkish dictate her political moves but found her unresponsive to his cautions. The former governor expressed his dismay, stating Stevens’ behavior is uncharacteristic and lamenting that this political episode has adversely affected her.
The political drama unfolded further, with Stevens texting Blanchard on the weekend to confirm her attendance with El-Sayed and Clyburn, a plan she ultimately abandoned. Her defense of the endorsement switch has encountered difficulties, particularly as she previously criticized Rogers publicly, labeling him as aligned with former President Trump’s policies.
In a turn of events, El-Sayed’s campaign witnessed a surge in support, raising $2.4 million from over 29,000 new donors following Stevens’ endorsement switch. He currently leads Rogers by a significant margin, according to a recent poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena University.
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