Stevens endorses Republican Rogers as Michigan Democrats fracture

Haley Stevens announced her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday, a move that fractured the Democratic base in Michigan just days before the midterm election. The former congresswoman cited being uninvited to a joint event with her primary opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, as the catalyst for her support of the Trump-backed candidate. Stevens said in a video that El-Sayed told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign. The endorsement puts pressure on El-Sayed’s bid to retake the Senate in a race that polls indicate is tightly contested.

President Donald Trump spent Sunday rallying in Salina, Kansas, and Dubuque, Iowa, two states where Republicans face competitive challenges. In Iowa, Trump spoke for two hours, promising that voters would elect America first Republicans up and down the ballot. In Kansas, his nearly 90-minute speech ended near 10 p.m. local time, with hundreds of attendees departing midway through the address. The president is scheduled to deliver his closing pitch for the midterms on Monday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.

The administration has also deployed financial incentives to court agricultural voters. The Trump administration promised $15 billion to farmers in the weeks leading up to the election. More than half of that sum is allocated for a one-time payment plan to offset soaring diesel prices. An additional $13.8 billion is planned to cover shortfalls for growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, and rice during the 2025 crop year. These measures aim to counteract higher costs driven by tariffs and the Iran war.

Legal battles over voter eligibility are intensifying in California. The Justice Department defended a list of more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens registered to vote on Saturday. The department suggested that the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights should face contempt charges for its analysis of the names. A court filing from the group noted that over 40% of the names on the list did not appear in the state’s voter file. The Justice Department argued that the group’s filing violated an order from U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg regarding the use of the data.

In Petersburg, Alaska, FBI agents visited the homes of donors supporting Dan J. Sullivan, a former elementary school teacher running against incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The investigation centers on a campaign tactic known as ballot stacking. Sharon Hunter, who donated $1,000 to Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign, told reporters that the federal inquiry felt like a waste of taxpayer money. Her husband and she are among the dozen contributors interviewed by agents.

Voters across the country expressed concern about the direction of the nation in interviews with the Associated Press. Linda Markle, a 72-year-old Democrat in Pennsylvania, described the president as destroying the country. In Ohio, retiree Therese Mennell stated that the president is saving the country despite an arrogant demeanor. The election on Tuesday will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of the Trump presidency.

El-Sayed responded to Stevens’ endorsement on Sunday by dismissing the news. He told reporters that he does not think about Stevens and that none of the political drama matters compared to the cost of living. The Michigan race remains a key battleground as both parties finalize their ground game for Election Day.