Republicans are rallying behind Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens after her shock endorsement of GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan, with House Speaker Mike Johnson praising her decision and President Donald Trump even suggesting she should join the Republican Party. Johnson revealed Monday that he had spoken with Stevens shortly before she announced her support for Rogers, claiming the Michigan Democrat was left "rattled" by the treatment she had received from members of her own party. Speaking on the Scott Jennings Show, Johnson said Stevens had contacted him by phone two nights earlier, before publicly announcing her endorsement of Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
Johnson praised her decision to back Rogers, calling it a "heroic thing" and saying she was "speaking truth to power." His comments came after Trump welcomed Stevens' decision at a rally in Iowa on Sunday, describing her as brave and suggesting she could eventually join the Republican Party. The extraordinary Republican support comes as Stevens faces mounting criticism from Democrats, with several lawmakers calling for her removal from the House Democratic Caucus. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who supported Stevens during the primary, described her endorsement as a "despicable betrayal." Johnson was among several high-profile Republican and conservative voices praising Stevens for endorsing Rogers.
Rogers himself said he was "honored" by her endorsement, which came after the two lawmakers attended a Detroit church service together. El-Sayed and other Michigan Democrats attended a separate service in the city. Michigan GOP Spokesperson Greg Manz called Stevens' move a "courageous decision that puts Michigan’s best interests ahead of partisan politics." "Her support underscores a growing reality: traditional Democrats who no longer recognize their values in Conman Abdul’s radical Islamic ideology can find common ground with Mike Rogers," he said in a recent statement.
On Sunday, during a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, Trump enthusiastically welcomed Stevens' endorsement of Rogers, suggesting she could have a future in the GOP. But Haley said what few people were willing to say," Trump told supporters. "I'd love her to join the Republican Party actually." Trump described Stevens as "very brave" for backing Rogers over El-Sayed.
On Monday, Johnson said he had comforted Stevens, whom he described as a "friend." "She was rattled, you know, because the horrific treatment she was getting in Michigan, by people in the party that, you know, she thought she knew," Johnson said. The House speaker said he had asked about Stevens' physical safety amid what he described as a "heightened threat environment," adding that he had committed to doing everything possible to protect her. "Look, she is doing a heroic thing. ...
And man, do you see their reaction? This visceral, vitriolic, vicious reaction." Conservative commentator Jennings agreed, criticizing the left's response to the announcement, adding that "a lot of voters out there ought to take notice of it." Stevens appeared on Jennings' show Monday, where she claimed she had initially tried to put party loyalty first after losing the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed. "Immediately after the primary, I tried to do everything right.
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