{"id":17380,"date":"2026-07-26T03:08:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T22:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17380"},"modified":"2026-07-26T03:08:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T22:08:36","slug":"michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer-backs-haley-stevens-in-contested-democratic-senate-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17380","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer backs Haley Stevens in contested Democratic Senate primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p id=\"anchor-2c9ac6\" class=\"body-graf\">Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer waded into her state\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2026-election\/michigans-slugfest-democratic-senate-primary-stevens-el-sayed-rcna353316\" target=\"_blank\">divisive Democratic Senate primary<\/a> Friday, endorsing Rep. Haley Stevens.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"NBC News Icon\" class=\"styles_icon__wRwWv\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free<\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-52f723\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cAs governor, I\u2019ve had one strategy: get things done. And that strategy informs everything that I do, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m endorsing Haley Stevens for the U.S. Senate,\u201d Whitmer said in <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HaleyforMI\/status\/2080731052973191401\" target=\"_blank\">a video<\/a> Stevens shared on X. \u201cJust 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-f4f6a1\" class=\"body-graf\">Whitmer is backing Stevens in the Aug. 4 Senate primary over former public health official Abdul El-Sayed, whom she beat in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor. Whitmer\u2019s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-6b8ff4\" class=\"body-graf\">Voting by mail is already underway. Early, in-person voting begins Saturday. And the primary winner will soon face former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running unopposed for the Republican nomination, in a battleground general election.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-8017b1\" class=\"body-graf\">Whitmer will quickly hit the campaign trail for Stevens. The governor, according to Stevens\u2019 team, was expected to appear with her at a Friday evening event in Detroit with Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-8f9793\" class=\"body-graf\">In her post accompanying Whitmer\u2019s video, Stevens said she is \u201cabsolutely thrilled\u201d to have the support. Whitmer, Stevens added, \u201cis a champion for our state, she understands the stakes of this race and why it\u2019s so important we elect the strongest Dem in this primary, and she gets stuff done for Michigan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3b5d17\" class=\"body-graf\">Whitmer\u2019s endorsement could be a windfall for Stevens. The governor, who is prevented by term limits from seeking a third term this year, remains popular with Michigan voters. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitchamber.com\/may-2026-michigan-voter-poll\/\" target=\"_blank\">May poll<\/a> by the Detroit Regional Chamber measured her job approval rating at 52%.<\/p>\n<section class=\"inline-video inline-video--in-body\" data-testid=\"inline-video\" id=\"anchor-b53b5d\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__background\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__player\">\n<div class=\"styles_gridStackWrapper__Z_AMc styles_videoContainer___xc7B video-container paused\" data-testid=\"gamma-video-player\">\n<div class=\"styles_gridStackWrapper__Z_AMc videoSlate styles_videoSlate__IvkAP\"><picture class=\"\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"focal\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1240px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-860x484,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_07\/1784669461387_now_mtp_full_elsayed_260721_S3_1920x1080-zdscs7.jpg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 758px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-1000x563,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_07\/1784669461387_now_mtp_full_elsayed_260721_S3_1920x1080-zdscs7.jpg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_07\/1784669461387_now_mtp_full_elsayed_260721_S3_1920x1080-zdscs7.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_07\/1784669461387_now_mtp_full_elsayed_260721_S3_1920x1080-zdscs7.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p id=\"anchor-34c0bb\" class=\"body-graf\">A more <a href=\"https:\/\/embed.documentcloud.org\/documents\/28485375-michigan-democratic-primary-survey-report\/?embed=1?embed=true&amp;responsive=false&amp;sidebar=false\" target=\"_blank\">recent poll<\/a> of 500 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted this month by the Detroit News and WDIV-TV, found that half of those undecided in the party\u2019s Senate primary said a Whitmer endorsement would make them more likely to support a candidate.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-843dcd\" class=\"body-graf\">That same poll showed a close Senate race, with about 34% of voters saying they would \u201cdefinitely\u201d support Stevens and 34% saying the same about El-Sayed.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-c798c7\" class=\"body-graf\">Hints that Whitmer might be weighing an endorsement came earlier this week, when the governor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2026\/07\/21\/michigan-senate-race-gretchen-whitmer-endorsement-haley-stevens-abdul-el-sayed\/90994669007\/\" target=\"_blank\">expressed concern<\/a> about \u201csome of the rhetoric\u201d in the primary between Stevens and El-Sayed.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-a8ea2d\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe corporate establishment has closed ranks and made their pick \u2014 now, Michigan voters will get to make theirs,\u201d El-Sayed spokesperson Roxie Richner wrote in a text message to NBC News after Whitmer\u2019s endorsement landed.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-76f0ba\" class=\"body-graf\">In the run-up to the governor\u2019s Friday endorsement, former Whitmer aides, who were granted anonymity to speak candidly about the contest, said they would be surprised if she waded into the deeply contentious and heated primary.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ed4e66\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cStepping into this primary feels exceptionally messy,\u201d one former official said. \u201cUnless she felt that the future of Michigan was on the line.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-7a62ae\" class=\"body-graf\">But among pro-Stevens donors and elected officials who share Stevens and Whitmer donors, there were efforts afoot to nudge the governor to offer a last-minute endorsement, one person familiar with the effort said. Still, that person noted they were \u201cnot super optimistic\u201d that Whitmer would engage in the race.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-c4349e\" class=\"body-graf\">When El-Sayed and Whitmer faced off in 2018 for the party\u2019s gubernatorial nomination, the campaign turned into a similarly brutal fight. Following her election, Whitmer offered El-Sayed a post in her administration \u2014 but he rejected the offer, according to a person with knowledge of the episode who described their relationship as \u201ctepid at best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-376fb8\" class=\"body-graf\">A person familiar with Whitmer\u2019s thinking, who was granted anonymity to provide insight into the governor\u2019s endorsement, said the decision had more to do with being pro-Stevens than anti-El-Sayed. This person added that Whitmer sees Stevens as aligned with her on policy priorities for Michigan.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-fcc9c0\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cShe\u2019s someone who the governor sees as another leader who\u2019s focused on getting things done for Michigan and putting Michigan first,\u201d this person said, adding that Whitmer<strong> <\/strong>\u201chas a lot of respect for Abdul and his supporters, but she wanted people to know where she stood, and this is about Haley Stevens being the best person to be Michigan\u2019s next U.S. senator.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-7f6c14\" class=\"body-graf\">Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have already cast ballots ahead of Friday, which could blunt the impact of Whitmer\u2019s decision. Already, many top officials in Michigan have offered Stevens their backing, including retiring Sen. Gary Peters and Attorney General Dana Nessel, as well as former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, but those endorsements have not broken open the contested race.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-415d0b\" class=\"body-graf\">El-Sayed, who is running on a left-wing platform that includes criticizing Stevens\u2019 support for Israel and her donor network, has endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-df19a5\" class=\"body-graf\">Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2026-election\/bernie-sanders-aoc-bring-anti-establishment-fight-michigan-rcna588195\" target=\"_blank\">rallied for him<\/a> last weekend in a series of stops across the state.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-8ca5f3\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cWith all due respect to Congresswoman Stevens, everyone knows that this is not an election between her and Abdul El-Sayed,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cThis is an election between Abdul and the billionaire class.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-47360a\" class=\"body-graf\">Michigan Republicans reacted to the endorsement by framing it as a sign that the Democratic establishment is \u201cbeyond panicked\u201d by the primary contest.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-e33023\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">\u201cHowever, Whitmer closing ranks behind Stevens does not change the fact that she is every bit as extreme as Abdul El-Sayed,\u201d said Greg Manz, a spokesperson for the Michigan Republican Party.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer waded into her state\u2019s divisive Democratic Senate primary Friday, endorsing Rep. Haley Stevens. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. \u201cAs governor, I\u2019ve had one strategy: get things done. And that strategy informs everything that I do, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m endorsing Haley&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-07\/260720-gretchen-whitmer-ew-623p-6ba1d0.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}