WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers just two days before Election Day.
  • Jamie Raskin had confidently predicted hours earlier that Stevens would vote for Democrats throughout her ballot.
  • Raskin later told the New York Times that Stevens’ announcement left him “blindsided.”
  • Michigan Democrat chair Curtis Hertel declared that Stevens would no longer belong to the state party.

Democrat Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan delivered a political earthquake by endorsing Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race just two days before Election Day. The decision immediately dominated political headlines and sent furious Democrats scrambling to respond.

Stevens, who represents MI-11, had been the main primary opponent of Abdul El-Sayed, who was backed by the DSA. Her refusal to support him in the general election quickly drew accusations of a “despicable betrayal” from party leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The anger carries an extra layer of irony for Schumer. He endorsed Stevens over El-Sayed in June because he considered her the more electable candidate of the two, only to watch her ultimately endorse the Republican nominee.

Michigan state Democrat Party chair Curtis Hertel responded by effectively reading Stevens out of the party. Hertel wrote, “Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future.”

Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

MORE NEWS: Kamala Harris: ‘Angry, Pissed, Depressed, Hopeless, Throwing Things’ and Pouring Drinks [WATCH]

Yet Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland may have emerged with the most political egg on his face. Raskin, the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, confidently discussed Stevens during a Sunday morning appearance on Meet the Press.

Moderator Kristen Welker asked Raskin whether the public clash between Stevens and El-Sayed could cost Democrats the Michigan Senate seat. Their dispute included Stevens criticizing El-Sayed’s views on Israel and objecting to his failure to disavow an advertisement she described as antisemitic.

Raskin showed no concern and said Stevens had personally assured him of her plans the previous night. He confidently predicted that she would remain loyal to Democrats throughout her ballot.

“No. I spoke last night to Haley Stevens, and I spoke to Abdul as well, and my wonderful friend Haley Stevens wants me to represent to you and everybody else I talk to that she is voting straight down the line on the Democratic ticket, and she’s going to be celebrating with Democrats across the country when we win on Tuesday night.”

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

Following recent reports that Congress is considering a nationwide voter ID requirement for federal elections, do you support requiring voters to show identification before casting a ballot?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from Objectivist.co, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

That confident declaration aged spectacularly badly. Just a few hours later, Stevens announced that she was endorsing Rogers rather than standing with her own party’s nominee in the Senate contest.

Raskin later told the New York Times that he was “blindsided.” The admission completed a brutal before and after sequence for a Democrat who had gone on national television and presented Stevens’ party loyalty as settled fact.

Jorge Bonilla highlighted the contrast between Raskin’s cheerful confidence before the announcement and his stunned response afterward. The sequence offered a sharp snapshot of how quickly Democratic certainty gave way to disbelief.

The episode also exposed an awkward contradiction in Raskin’s political posture. He was among the Democrats who repeatedly promoted the slogan “country over party!!” while praising Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for their work on the J6 Committee.

Close

MORE NEWS: DOJ Torches AP Report Over California Noncitizen Voter Roll Claims

Those Democrats celebrated Cheney and Kinzinger when the two broke with Republicans. But when Stevens made her own decision about what she believed was best for Michigan and the country, Raskin was left stunned rather than applauding the supposed principle.

The wider Democratic reaction was equally revealing. Party officials who often promote themselves as members of a broad political coalition quickly turned on Stevens once she refused to support El-Sayed and endorsed Rogers.

Hertel’s declaration that Stevens would not be a member of the Michigan Democratic Party in the future made that message unmistakable. Whatever talk remained about room for disagreement disappeared once Stevens crossed the party’s Senate nominee.

For Raskin, however, the timing made the embarrassment especially rich. He had spoken with Stevens the night before, repeated her alleged assurance on national television, and forecast that she would celebrate with Democrats after Tuesday’s election.

Instead, Stevens endorsed the Republican nominee only hours after Raskin’s prediction. The Democrat who thought he had the situation completely under control was forced to admit publicly that he never saw the move coming.

The reversal could hardly have produced a cleaner political lesson. Raskin confidently vouched for Stevens, Stevens promptly rejected the Democratic nominee, and his own word for the resulting shock was “blindsided.”

It was a rough day for Democrats already fighting over Michigan, but an especially fitting one for Raskin. After years of cheering party defections when they harmed Republicans, he received an up close demonstration of how that principle feels when the political shoe lands on the other foot.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Objectivist. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.