Gretchen Whitmer endorses Haley Stevens for Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic primary
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Representative Haley Stevens for the Democratic U.S. Senate primary on Friday. The endorsement comes as the battleground state prepares for early in-person voting, with the primary scheduled for August 4. Whitmer, who remains popular with Michigan voters, chose Stevens to represent the moderate establishment wing of the party. Stevens is currently in a tight race against progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed. While Stevens has secured the backing of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and retiring Senator Gary Peters, El-Sayed has garnered support from high-profile progressives including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The endorsement provides a significant boost for Stevens, who previously flipped a Republican-held House seat. Conversely, El-Sayed has criticized Stevens for her ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The winner of the primary will face Republican former Representative Mike Rogers in November. Democrats view Michigan as a critical component of their strategy to flip the U.S. Senate from Republican control.