A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
A despicable betrayal. That is how Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is describing the 11th-hour drama unfolding in the critical Michigan U.S. Senate race.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed, says she's revoking her endorsement of him and backing his GOP opponent. In a moment, we'll discuss all this with Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. We begin with the news.
MARTÍNEZ: NPR congressional reporter Sam Gringlas has been tracking the story from Michigan, joins us now from Ann Arbor. So, Sam, I mean, this is the question I think everyone has on their mind - why is this happening now with just a few hours left in the campaign?
SAM GRINGLAS, BYLINE: Yeah. Yeah. So, A, we talk about October surprises in campaigns. You don't often get a November surprise, which is exactly what we have here. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after losing the primary by about a percentage point, but aside from a unity event right after that, they never campaigned together. And in recent days, Stevens started ramping up criticism of El-Sayed.
The two Democrats traded seething statements. An attempted unity appearance for a Sunday Souls to the Polls event was scheduled at a church in Detroit and then fell apart. And instead of attending that event on Sunday with El-Sayed, she showed up at another Detroit church with his GOP opponent, Mike Rogers.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. So how is Stevens explaining her reversal?
GRINGLAS: Stevens emerged from that service with Rogers by her side and told reporters her endorsement was a personal decision.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
HALEY STEVENS: I'm not trying to harm anyone. I worked really hard for Democrats. I'm not turning my back on Democrats. It is this one vote. When you see repeated hate, it's not acceptable. I still love the party. Everyone should be fired up for Democrats.
GRINGLAS: El-Sayed has made comments around Israel that have unsettled some Jewish voters. He's a vocal critic. She's a staunch defender. Stevens says El-Sayed did not do enough to reassure these voters or to disavow rhetoric made by some of his supporters she says is dangerous. But up to the last minute, multiple Democrats have said publicly that Stevens was affirming to them she was still backing El-Sayed.
And, you know, as we talk about campaign rhetoric, I should also note the Rogers' campaign has focused its closing argument trying to paint El-Sayed, who'd be the first Muslim U.S. senator, as un-American.
MARTÍNEZ: What has El-Sayed had to say?
GRINGLAS: I was at the Detroit Church El-Sayed and Stevens had been slated to attend together, and El-Sayed told reporters there he does not think about Haley Stevens at all.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ABDUL EL-SAYED: None of this matters. You know what matters? You can go, like, 15 minutes that way or 15 minutes that way and there are families who are preparing to send their kids to schools tomorrow that look like they did 50 years ago. They're worried about what they're going to feed their kids for lunch.
GRINGLAS: I have met Democrats who did not support El-Sayed in the primary and struggled with their vote this fall. Now, will this latest drama sway a bunch of late deciders? Maybe not. Still, this cannot be the closing discussion El-Sayed's campaign was hoping for.
MARTÍNEZ: Now how are other Democrats, then, responding to the situation?
GRINGLAS: Holding this seat is key to Democrats retaking the Senate. A lot of them are fuming and have rallied around El-Sayed. Stevens' longtime chief of staff announced he and many staff have now quit, saying they're shocked and heartbroken by her actions. And the Michigan Democratic Party chair wrote that Stevens was no longer a member.
MARTÍNEZ: So this matters because the Senate majority is on the line, but do you think this episode will reverberate beyond Tuesday in any way?
GRINGLAS: This turmoil re-exposed fault lines within the party that have been deepening all year, not just over Israel, but about the party's identity going forward. Even if Democrats reclaim one or both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, that won't resolve these questions. So this debate is going to continue, especially as Democrats prepare to choose a presidential nominee in 2028. One of the earliest primary states to weigh in will be Michigan.
MARTÍNEZ: That is NPR congressional reporter Sam Gringlas. Thanks a lot, Sam.
GRINGLAS: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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