Michigan Governor Whitmer endorses Haley Stevens in Democratic Senate primary

Published Jul 24, 07:26 PM UTC

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Representative Haley Stevens in the state's contentious Democratic Senate primary on July 24, 2026, wading into a high-profile ideological battle within the party. Stevens is competing against former public health official Abdul El-Sayed in the August 4 primary to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters. The race highlights the Democratic Party's internal divide: Stevens represents the moderate wing, backed by mainstream Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and outgoing Senator Peters, while El-Sayed has galvanized progressives with endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Warren's endorsement video criticized Stevens for accepting corporate donations, including nearly $30 million from the AIPAC-aligned United Democracy Project. The winner will face Republican candidate and former Representative Mike Rogers, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, in the November general election. Whitmer cited her 'get things done' strategy as the reason for her endorsement.