Outgoing Michigan Sen. Gary Peters announced Monday that he is endorsing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary race to fill his Senate seat, joining a broader push by party leaders to boost her chances against progressive challenger Abdul El-Sayed ahead of next month’s vote.
Peters, who is stepping down after serving 12 years in the Senate, said Stevens “will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan.” The announcement marks a notable shift from his position in late May, when he told The Associated Press he planned to remain neutral in the contest.
Since then, Democratic leadership has increasingly lined up behind Stevens as the August 4th primary draws closer, with growing concern among party insiders that El-Sayed’s more progressive positions could hurt the party’s chances in the November general election. Winning the Michigan Senate seat is seen as essential to Democrats’ efforts to regain control of the Senate.
Stevens, a four-term congresswoman, has positioned herself as a moderate Democrat with a focus on manufacturing issues in the key swing state. El-Sayed, who has never previously held elected office, is running on a more left-leaning platform that includes Medicare for All and campaign finance reform. He has also been a vocal critic of the war in Gaza, an issue that has created divisions within the party.
Democratic anxieties about Michigan have deepened following turmoil in Maine, where the party’s Senate nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race last week after a sexual assault allegation. Democrats in Maine now face the task of selecting a new candidate to run against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Peters’ endorsement also follows the earlier exit of state Sen. Mallory McMorrow from the Michigan Democratic primary this month, which turned the contest into a direct matchup between Stevens and El-Sayed.
Stevens welcomed the endorsement, saying in a statement: “Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense. I am honored to have his support.”
Peters previously won two Senate campaigns in Michigan and led the Senate Democrats’ campaign organization during both the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
The backing from Peters adds to an already substantial list of establishment Democratic supporters for Stevens. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada have all endorsed her. El-Sayed, meanwhile, has earned the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and, more recently, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
The race has become increasingly heated in recent weeks. El-Sayed has taken aim at tens of millions of dollars in outside spending flowing into Stevens’ campaign, including money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens, in turn, has criticized El-Sayed for failing to release his personal financial records.
At a July 7th debate, both candidates accused each other of running a negative campaign. “Abdul has spent this entire campaign attacking me,” Stevens said.
The Democratic nominee will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former U.S. House member who is running unopposed in his party’s primary, in what is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely followed Senate races in the country this election cycle.
