• Gov. Gretchen Whitmer backs US Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan US Senate race
  • Stevens is locked in a tight battle with progressive Abdul El-Sayed
  • Whitmer had been sitting on the sidelines of the race but hinted earlier in the week she might endorse

DETROIT — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday endorsed Haley Stevens over Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s fiercely competitive Democratic US Senate primary, arguing the fourth-term member of Congress can “get things done” in Washington. 

Citing tariffs on foreign goods, federal Medicaid cuts and high gas prices, Whitmer said Stevens is taking on Trump and congressional Republicans and “putting money back in Michiganders’ pockets.”

“As governor, I’ve had one strategy: get things done, and that strategy informs everything that I do,” Whitmer said in a video endorsement. “Just like me, Haley will do whatever it takes to get things done for the people of Michigan, and we need her now more than ever.”

The governor joined Stevens and former US Rep Jim Clyburn later Friday at the Teamsters Local 337 hall in Detroit, telling the union crowd that “there are few leaders…with more fight in them than Haley Stevens.” 

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Stevens said she was “absolutely thrilled” to have Whitmer’s endorsement, adding in a statement that she “understands the stakes of this race and why it’s so important we elect the strongest Dem in this primary.”

A spokesperson for El-Sayed noted voters will ultimately decide the primary election, not endorsements.

“The corporate establishment has closed ranks and made their pick — now, Michigan voters will get to make theirs,” said Roxie Richner.

‘Making fun of Michigan’

Whitmer, who is term-limited out of office at the end of the year, had previously avoided weighing in on the Aug. 4 primary between Stevens and El-Sayed, who are facing off in one of the most high-profile federal races in the country.

Experts have called the primary a litmus test of the future direction of the Democratic Party. Stevens has a relatively moderate record in Congress, while El-Sayed is a former public health official who has championed progressive policies like Medicare for All.

Whitmer had hinted earlier in the week she might break her silence on the Senate race, telling reporters she was concerned about some of the intra-party rhetoric and “ugliness” that had emerged. 

Gretchen Whitmer and Haley Stevens
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joiined Haley Stevens at a Detroit campaign event on Friday afternoon shortly after endorsing her. (Lauren Gibbons/Bridge Michigan)

Speaking Friday, Whitmer said she “heard a lot of people talk smack” about her voice when she first ran for governor.

“I think Haley might have me beat on this one,” she quipped, referencing online talk about Stevens’ thick Michigan accent.

Stevens herself addressed what she called the “cool kid chatter” online, telling supporters that anyone making fun of how she sounds are “making fun of Michigan.” 

“They’re thinking they’re better than us, and what they don’t know is I am your voice, and their jokes and their criticism only makes me fight harder,” she said. 

‘She steps up’

Whitmer’s endorsement means Stevens now has the backing of all living Michigan Democratic governors. Jennifer Granholm and Jim Blanchard previously endorsed her. 

El-Sayed, who ran for governor against Whitmer in 2018, has scored several high-profile endorsements from progressive figureheads, including US Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Recent disclosures show El-Sayed has outraised Stevens, but outside groups have poured money into the race — most of it to support Stevens. 

Whoever wins in August will get the chance to take on Republican Mike Rogers in the fight for Michigan’s open US Senate seat. Outgoing Democratic US Sen. Gary Peters recently endorsed Stevens in the race to take his place.

Whitmer’s endorsement is significant. While she has frustrated some Michigan Democrats by working with Republicans and vetoing union-backed bills, she’s remained relatively popular with voters for a second-term governor. 

A May poll conducted for the Detroit Regional Chamber showed 52.2% of Michigan voters approved of  Whitmer’s work, compared to 39% who disapproved.

“When Michigan’s back is up against the wall, Haley Stevens steps forward, and she steps up,” Whitmer said Friday in Detroit.

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