Stevens Faces Calls for Expulsion After Endorsing Republican
Stevens’ endorsement came two days before Michigan’s Senate election and after she lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed. The four-term representative will depart the House when this year concludes. Her decision drew criticism from Democrats in Washington and Michigan, with some House members urging that she be expelled from the Democratic Caucus.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Stevens had blindsided colleagues and that leaders would discuss an appropriate response when they return after the election. Democratic leaders are not expected to decide on discipline before then. Caucus expulsion would bar Stevens from its weekly meetings; action involving her committee assignments could also be considered, subject to House and caucus rules.
Stevens had offered limited support to El-Sayed after the primary and criticized his positions on Israel and his outreach to Jewish and Black voters. A planned church appearance with El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn was disrupted after El-Sayed’s campaign asked Stevens not to attend his events. Stevens later appeared at a church with Rogers and his wife and endorsed the Republican.
Rep. Debbie Dingell said that during the weekend, Stevens had assured her on several occasions she would decline to back Rogers. Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel said Stevens was no longer a member of the state party and would not be in the future. Reps. Delia Ramirez and Pramila Jayapal also called for Stevens’ removal from the House caucus. An automated response from Stevens’ communications director said he was no longer with her office as of November 1.
Democrats Weigh Consequences of Stevens’ Break With Her Party
Stevens’ endorsement of the Republican nominee, just before Election Day, has put her future in the House Democratic Caucus in question. Some Democrats are pressing leaders to remove her, while Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says the caucus will discuss next steps after the election.
The backlash reflects the stakes of a lawmaker publicly abandoning her party’s Senate nominee at a decisive moment. Stevens had lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed and had taken a limited role in supporting his campaign. After his campaign asked her to stay away from its events, she appeared at a church with Rogers and his wife and endorsed him.
Rep. Debbie Dingell said Stevens had repeatedly assured her she would not back Rogers. Reps. Delia Ramirez and Pramila Jayapal have called for Stevens’ expulsion, and Michigan’s Democratic Party chair said she was no longer a member and would not be welcomed back. The pressure underscores why party leaders are being asked to impose consequences rather than treat the endorsement as an ordinary disagreement.
Stevens is leaving Congress at year’s end after losing the primary. Expulsion would bar her from Democratic Caucus meetings; her committee assignments could also be at issue, though the process would depend on House and caucus rules. Leaders are waiting until after the election to decide how to proceed.
Democrats Threaten Stevens for Defying Their Senate Choice
The push to punish Haley Stevens shows how quickly Democratic leaders and lawmakers turn party loyalty into a test of who may remain inside their caucus. Stevens endorsed Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, and some House Democrats now want her removed before her House service concludes this year.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says leaders will discuss next steps after the election, not before it. Expulsion would keep Stevens from attending weekly caucus meetings, and Democrats could also consider her committee assignments under applicable House and caucus rules. The potential penalties make this more than a dispute over an endorsement.
Stevens lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed and had offered limited support to his campaign. After his campaign asked her not to attend its events, she appeared at a church with Rogers and his wife and endorsed the Republican. Rep. Debbie Dingell said Stevens had told her several times she would not do so. Michigan’s Democratic Party chair said Stevens was no longer a member and would not return.
Reps. Delia Ramirez and Pramila Jayapal have called for Stevens’ removal from the House caucus. The episode puts party leaders in the position of deciding whether dissent from their preferred nominee merits formal punishment, with their discussion deferred until after the election.
Reported by Newsweek, The Washington Examiner, Fox News, The Daily Beast, The Dispatch, Hot Air.
