Don’t miss our live election special Tuesday night with 2WAY, from 8 p.m. until midnight ET, featuring Mark Halperin, Will Rahn, and a lineup of Free Press writers following the results. Mark your calendars here. —The Editors
It may be the ultimate shocking but not surprising twist of the Democratic Party’s 2026 midterm cycle, in an election season that has witnessed Graham Platner dropping out of the Maine Senate race amid accusations of sexual misconduct, James Talarico vanishing from the Texas campaign trail for nearly a fortnight, and Mary Peltola’s team apparently coaxing a second Dan Sullivan onto the Alaska ballot to distract voters from her Republican opponent, incumbent senator Dan S. Sullivan.
On Sunday, Michigan congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Senate primary in August after a rancorous battle with Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed his Republican opponent, former congressman Mike Rogers, appearing with Rogers at a morning service at Detroit’s Perfecting Church, and then releasing a video offering her full support.
“Hey, Michigan” she began, “As you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away. And he’s right—that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate today.” Stevens called the Michigan race “the conscience of the Senate, and our Michigan moment,” and said “I’m just letting you know where I am. I’m still a very proud Democrat; I still very much believe in everything I voted for and said. I’ve worked really hard and will continue to do so. . . Godspeed and love you all so much.”
Mark your calendars. The Free Press and 2WAY are teaming up for a real-time interactive election night special, November 3 from 8 p.m. ET until late. See you there.
It is not unprecedented for politicians to endorse across party lines. Former senator Joe Manchin has endorsed Susan Collins twice, both this past September, and in 2019 when he was still officially a Democrat. Democratic senator Joe Lieberman endorsed his dear friend John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. This year, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden are supporting Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton in Kansas, and House Democrat Jared Golden is supporting his across-the-aisle colleague Mike Lawler in New York.
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