Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her endorsement of Rep. Haley Stevens in the state’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Friday, appearing alongside South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn at a campaign event in Detroit. Whitmer characterized Stevens as possessing the fighting spirit needed to represent the state in Washington. The endorsement arrives one day before early in-person voting commences and comes from a governor who remains a popular figure in the competitive state, having won her previous elections by significant margins.
The primary race between Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed has emerged as a focal point reflecting internal tensions within the Democratic Party between its moderate establishment wing and its progressive faction. Stevens has positioned herself as a proven electoral competitor who successfully flipped a Republican-held House seat to Democratic control. Her candidacy has received support from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and retiring Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, along with tens of millions in outside spending from groups backing her, including nearly $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
El-Sayed represents the progressive wing of the party and has secured backing from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen. A spokesperson for El-Sayed’s campaign characterized the endorsement as evidence that “the corporate establishment has closed ranks,” while El-Sayed himself has criticized Stevens for accepting contributions from AIPAC. The candidate has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and has made Stevens’ fundraising from pro-Israel sources a point of distinction in their campaign.
The Democratic primary winner will advance to face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in the November general election for a Senate seat Democrats view as crucial to their efforts to gain control of the chamber. Whitmer, a term-limited governor not appearing on this cycle’s ballot, has previously been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. According to sources familiar with her deliberations, Stevens’ demonstrated ability to win competitive elections factored into Whitmer’s decision to endorse.
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