Democratic leaders are postponing a decision on whether to remove Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan from the House Democratic Caucus following her controversial endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
Stevens publicly backed Rogers on November 1, just two days before Michigan’s midterm elections, despite her party’s support for Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Her announcement triggered criticism from several Democratic lawmakers, some of whom have demanded her removal from the caucus.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Stevens had made a serious mistake and alienated herself from Democratic colleagues. Speaking to POLITICO, he said party leaders would discuss appropriate next steps after returning from the elections.
Stevens, a four-term congresswoman, is preparing to leave office at the end of the year after losing the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed. Since that defeat, she has expressed reservations about his campaign, particularly his positions on Israel and his outreach to Jewish and Black voters.
The endorsement also angered Michigan Democrats. State party chairman Curtis Hertel announced on X that Stevens was no longer a member of the Michigan Democratic Party and would not be welcomed back.
Several House Democrats, including reps. Delia Ramirez and Pramila Jayapal have publicly supported removing Stevens from the caucus. Progressive advocacy group IfNotNow has also urged Jeffries to expel her and reconsider her committee assignments.
Meanwhile, Rep. Debbie Dingell said Stevens had repeatedly assured her over the weekend that she would not endorse Rogers, raising questions about what changed before the announcement.
For now, Democratic leadership has not announced disciplinary action. Any decision could affect Stevens’ access to caucus meetings and potentially her committee assignments, depending on applicable House and party rules.
