Whitmer Endorses Stevens in Michigan Senate Primary

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer endorsed U.S. Representative Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat on Friday, throwing her support behind the moderate congresswoman a day before early in-person voting began. The endorsement comes in a race that has emerged as a proxy battle between the Democratic Party’s moderate establishment and its progressive wing, with Stevens facing former health official Abdul El-Sayed in the August 4 primary.

Whitmer, a term-limited governor who remains popular among Michigan Democrats and is widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, cited Stevens’ record in Congress and her work on the Obama administration’s auto rescue task force as key reasons for her decision, according to the Associated Press.

“As governor, I’ve had one strategy: Get things done,” Whitmer said in a video shared by Stevens’ campaign. “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.”

A Heated Primary Battle

The open Senate seat, created by retiring Senator Gary Peters’ decision not to seek a third term, has drawn a competitive field. Stevens, a four-term congresswoman from Oakland County who flipped a Republican-held House seat in 2018, has positioned herself as the most electable candidate in a critical battleground state. El-Sayed, a progressive activist and former Detroit health official who has never held elected office, has secured endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The race has been notably acrimonious. Whitmer herself had previously called the intra-party rhetoric “very problematic,” warning it could hurt Democrats’ chances in the general election, the Detroit News reported. Her late intervention — after weeks of declining to take sides — signaled that the race was tightening.

According to a Detroit News/WDIV-TV poll conducted July 8-11, Stevens led El-Sayed 48% to 41% among likely Democratic primary voters, with 10% undecided. Approximately 34% of respondents said Whitmer’s endorsement would make them more likely to support the endorsed candidate, while 63% said it would have no impact.

Establishment vs. Progressive Divide

The primary has become a flashpoint for the broader ideological struggle within the Democratic Party. Stevens has been backed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, retiring Senator Gary Peters, former Senator Debbie Stabenow, and former Governor Jennifer Granholm. Her campaign has also benefited from nearly $30 million in outside spending from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which Michigan Public reported has drawn criticism from El-Sayed, who accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

El-Sayed’s campaign framed Whitmer’s endorsement as the establishment closing ranks. “The corporate establishment has closed ranks and made their pick — now, Michigan voters will get to make theirs,” said Roxie Richner, a spokesperson for El-Sayed, as reported by the New York Post.

The United Auto Workers union, which endorsed El-Sayed in June, also responded sharply, posting on social media: “UAW is committed to electing candidates who don’t waver when it comes to fighting for workers. We know who is on our side, and who is on the side of corporations.”

National Implications

Michigan is a key battleground in the fight for control of the Senate. Trump won the state in the 2024 presidential election by 1.4 percentage points, and no Republican has won a Michigan Senate race in 30 years. The winner of the Democratic primary will face former Republican U.S. Representative Mike Rogers in the November general election.

Whitmer appeared alongside Stevens and South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn at a Teamsters hall in Detroit on Friday, where she repeated her endorsement in front of more than 100 supporters.

“Michiganders need a fighter in Washington and there are few leaders with more fight in ‘em than Haley Stevens,” Whitmer said.

Stevens, who has made electability central to her campaign, welcomed the endorsement as a signal of strength. “She has been my partner. She has been the leader,” Stevens said. “And she’s speaking out today, which is a huge deal.”

What’s Next

Early in-person voting began Saturday, July 25. Absentee ballots have been circulating for weeks. The primary election is scheduled for August 4, with the winner advancing to face Rogers in the general election on November 3.