Sunday, during an appearance on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) defended her decision to endorse former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) over her party’s U.S. Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.
A heavily favored El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in the August Democrat primary to win the nomination.
A combative Cooper insisted Stevens explain why she “changed her mind” throughout the interview, and Stevens accused Cooper of “editorializing.”
Transcript as follows:
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Joining us now is Congresswoman Haley Stevens.
Congresswoman Stevens, thanks for being here. Your fellow Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said that she talked to you at midnight last night and that you told her you were not going to endorse Mike Rogers. If that is true, what changed between then and this morning?
REP. HALEY STEVENS (D-MI): Well, look, this is just a weight off my shoulders, OK? Abdul has been getting angrier and angrier. I was trying to help, and I’d endorsed him. That ad was very painful. There are so many Democrats who want to vote for our Democratic nominee. And they’re just being told, hey, this is a party you don’t belong in, or this is a campaign you don’t belong in.
And I’ve never cast a present vote in the Congress. I’m making a decision here. And, you know, that’s just where I landed on this. I woke up this morning clear eyed, fresh, and, you know, focused on what was in my heart. And that’s that, you know?
COOPER: Right.
STEVENS: And there’s a lot of incredible things going on around Michigan.
COOPER: The question — right.
STEVENS: And frankly, this country with these elections here, Anderson.
COOPER: My question — right. My question, though, is what changed from the phone conversation you had with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and waking up refreshed in the morning? Did you talk to anybody? Did you have a long night of the soul? Were you up all night? What — do you have a dream? What happened?
STEVENS: No, look. I would just say that, you know, I had some time to, you know, think. I wasn’t on the phone. I think that late. But I know Debbie is always working around the clock. It might not have been midnight when I spoke with her, but I — I was there and just, you know, alone with my thoughts. I was writing things out, and look, this level of anger and the things that we are seeing, look, we all want Democrats to win.
I’m a really proud Democrat. And by the way, Abdul has got every other Democrat with him. He just doesn’t, you know, have —
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: I’m just wondering what changed.
STEVENS: — me and a few other people who love this party, who love this party.
COOPER: People change their mind.
STEVENS: Nothing with me changed, Anderson. This is —
COOPER: I’m just wondering what changed.
STEVENS: Look, look, this is about Abdul getting angrier and angrier and saying, I don’t want these people in my campaign.
COOPER: But he didn’t angrier from the midnight —
STEVENS: You know, I’m not going to stand up when we say —
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: He didn’t get angrier from midnight last night to this morning. So I’m — I mean, something changed your mind. I’m just curious, like, was there a specific aspect of this —
STEVENS: Well, Anderson, you certainly weren’t on the phone with me at midnight. And I don’t think I was on the phone either. But I have great respect for Congresswoman Dingell. And, you know, she is a pillar of always trying to bring people together. Just as —
COOPER: But you did talk to her last night?
STEVENS: Just as Senator Slotkin is, by the way. You know, she’s carried a lot of water here. She’s, you know, a — going to be, our soon to be senior senator and things along those lines.
COOPER: I’m sorry, did you talk to Debbie Dingell last night?
STEVENS: The deal is, Anderson, is that, you know what? This is a weight off my shoulders. I’m being straight with everybody. You know, I’m trying to help the Democratic Party. I felt the same way with Platner and his Nazi tattoo, and then the cases of abuse. And I’m just one person here. All right? That’s it. And I’m voting for Democrats up and down my ballot.
COOPER: OK. Yes. So yesterday, El-Sayed —
STEVENS: Abdul said, no, thanks. Don’t be a part of it.
COOPER: I’m sorry.
STEVENS: That’s fine.
COOPER: Yesterday, El-Sayed said essentially what you wanted him to say regarding the offensive ad. He said he did not agree with the contents of the ad paid for by an outside group that tied U.S. aid to Israel to affordability problems in America. It’s been called antisemitic. You said, you were, quote, “glad” he said that, and, quote, “This is what our constituents deserve from those of us in elected leadership.”
Then at some point, I assume in the evening, maybe not midnight, you talk to Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, said you were not going to do this. So if you and he were on the same page when it came to that ad, and you said that to the congresswoman at some point last night, what changed, other than he had put out that statement and disinvited you from that church service?
Is that — was that the angrier and angrier part that you’re focusing on?
STEVENS: Anderson, this is a broader point about what’s going on in our party. OK?
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: It’s actually not. It’s really —
STEVENS: You know —
COOPER: — just a question of why you changed your mind.
STEVENS: We were — no. We were just recognizing — look, I haven’t cast my vote yet. You know, people, my neighbors were asking me. They’re undecided. They feel the same way.
COOPER: So you might change your mind again?
STEVENS: Anderson, my mind is made up. I’m rock solid. I’m an independent woman. I made my decision. You know, I still love my party a whole lot. I know there’s a lot of people working really hard on elections all over this country. I really project that Democrats are going to win big.
COOPER: Back in August you posted on social media —
STEVENS: And by the way, Anderson. But wait a minute, Anderson. Wait, wait, wait.
COOPER: OK.
STEVENS: Because I was a Democrat who flipped a Republican seat here in Michigan. And this is also about Michigan. All right. This is about —
COOPER: This really just about you right now.
STEVENS: You know, Michigan isn t Democrat or Republican.
COOPER: And I’m not asking you a question. Back in August, you posted on social media, quote, “Mike Rogers will be another rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda. We can’t afford to give MAGA another Senate seat in November.”
How do you — why is it OK now? Why can you afford now to give MAGA another Senate seat in November?
STEVENS: Well, why is it OK to have the Democratic Party and a top nominee, you know, ejecting, you know, this type of or injecting rather this type of anger and lack of kindness? That’s all. I’m one Democrat.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: OK. So — OK. So is the anger and lack of kindness —
STEVENS: You know, and I just am telling people how I’m voting.
COOPER: That’s what you’re focusing?
STEVENS: And there’s others who feel the same way. You know —
COOPER: So the anger and lack of kindness.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: I’m sorry. I don’t want to talk over you. The anger and lack of kindness —
STEVENS: No, no, that’s OK. No, no. It sounds like you’re upset with me, too, Anderson.
COOPER: No, I’m not. I’m just — you’re not really answering any of my questions, so it’s somewhat frustrating. You’re saying the anger and lack of kindness, again, that seems to point to you being disinvited to this event. Is that to you the — is that his anger and lack of kindness?
STEVENS: Anderson, I was just trying to help this campaign and stand up for people who feel hurt. I am not the only one in this position. I’m just casting my vote. The people in the Congress know this as well. We cast votes all the time. I announced it today. That’s fine. I was in a Sunday church service. And you know what? I am very optimistic going forward. I don’t like seeing a Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate campaigning with somebody who’s standing with someone who’s saying America deserved 9/11.
I don’t like that. I don’t like that person’s uncle is saying that African-Americans should wrap themselves in the Israeli flag and call themselves Van Jones. I don’t like that. And I have to make a choice. Voting is binary.
COOPER: All those things — right. But those things —
STEVENS: I am making one choice here, and people are just, you know, and people are also making their choices. And I got a whole heck of a lot of love for the Democratic Party, you know, and I certainly have, you know, enjoyed having this conversation with you about, you know, my decision and my thought process. But it’s just, it’s, look, it’s just where I was at the end of the night and earlier this morning. It was it.
COOPER: Those things that you cited, though, were from a while ago. And it seemed like those were OK for you up until some point yesterday. And then the only really new development was the disinviting to, you know, a campaign event or a church service. That seems to be the crucial kind of turning point. Is that correct? Because you’ve cited —
STEVENS: Well, look.
COOPER: You said building anger, you’re citing things which are very old. And now that’s the only change. So is it fair to zero in on that?
STEVENS: And look, look, I appreciate all the introspection on how I make decisions and how I reach this moment. I will just say that the Democratic Party, and when we see all these great Democrats across this country come in to check Trump, and they are going to, you know, have the affordability agenda —
COOPER: Do you want Democrats to win control of the Senate?
STEVENS: I absolutely do. I just — I’m just casting my vote this one way. Michigan, there’s a lot of people out there voting.
COOPER: But with all due respect, you’re casting your vote that way and you’re on television right now talking about it. And you had a press conference earlier. So you’re not just casting your vote, you are very publicly casting your vote, which is fine, but that’s what you’re doing, right?
STEVENS: Look, Anderson, I am, you know, happy to be speaking with you. I love my state. You know, I have a lot of deep respect for my constituents and many, many people who have worked on Democratic campaigns who want Democrats to win, who also feel heartbroken. And you’re totally right, I’m just one person.
COOPER: Right.
STEVENS: And — you know.
COOPER: Has your — your chief of staff released a statement that said your congressional team is shocked and heartbroken by your announcement, and that he and many other staffers were resigning. There’s reports that more than half of your staff has quit? Is that accurate?
STEVENS: Look, I have an incredible team in Washington. Obviously they have they cast their votes.
COOPER: Do you still have them?
STEVENS: They cast their votes in the beltway. But, look, I’m under a transition, right? I’m winding down my office. It’s all been packed up. You know, there’s just a couple of weeks of lame duck left here. These are great individuals who, you know, I care a lot about. And, you know, certainly, you know, they’re free to share their views on this. I am not trying to upset anyone.
I’m just being honest with my constituents and what I’m hearing from people. And in fact, I’ve been hearing from a ton of Dems, Anderson, who said, thank you. This is, you know, this is how we felt. We haven’t liked this campaign. It’s painful. I mean, Debbie Dingell has said that repeatedly. I think, you know, when I was talking to her at noon yesterday, she was saying that. And so this is all going to come to an end.
You know, I’m casting my vote a certain way. And I, you know, I hope to see more kindness within the Democratic Party and for all of us to just accept when somebody has a disagreement. I mean, that’s fine. I changed my mind.
COOPER: What I’m wondering —
STEVENS: You know, he said, hey, I don’t need your endorsement. That’s fine. You know. And why the anger? Why the frustration? Why the obsession with Iran and all these other issues about, you know, what’s going on overseas? What are we going to do here in this country?
COOPER: Just as a —
STEVENS: It’s about our — it’s about Michigan.
COOPER: As a Democrat, I’m wondering when you heard President Trump praising you today and Speaker Mike Johnson, what did you think?
STEVENS: Well, I impeached him twice. Mike Johnson has passed a couple of my bills as a speaker. I — he’s not been up to all too much. I think the Republicans have kind of shown that they are, you know, really focused on just letting Trump be the dictator. And that’s not what the Democratic Party is. You know, we’ve got Democrats when they go into the chamber sometimes they don’t always vote with the party. You know, we’ve seen — I wasn’t for the Biden switch around. And that’s OK. I just have —
COOPER: You said in your press conference today, we can’t stand with hate. Do you believe that Abdul El-Sayed is hateful or an antisemite?
STEVENS: I think some of the actions have certainly been antisemitic, Anderson, but I’m just sick of who he stands with. He’s picking Hasan Piker and the uncle, you know, over a whole heck of a lot of people. There are people who want to vote for him. They wanted to hear from him. They’re not trying to beat him up. You know, I wanted to build him up and he just kept coming back. And this is about a U.S. Senate seat and who’s going to be there —
COOPER: But, again, you —
STEVENS: — actually listening to people in my state.
COOPER: You did endorse him.
STEVENS: And that’s why —
COOPER: When you endorsed him, you knew — you keep referencing the uncle. I assume you knew about the uncle and whatever else he and Hasan Piker. I guess I still unclear — I mean, it sounds like last night was a really big night where a lot built up, what the turning point was. And it seems —
STEVENS: Well, that’s your assumption, Anderson. I mean, that’s your editorializing.
COOPER: Well, I don’t know. Well, then —
STEVENS: I certainly didn’t — I certainly didn t say that.
COOPER: Right. But you were willing to be at a campaign event for him. You wanted to be at a public event with him up until some point I guess yesterday. And I — it’s just an interesting change. And I think a lot of people are curious to try to understand that.
STEVENS: Was that a question, Anderson, or?
COOPER: No, I wanted to see if you wanted to fill in the silence, but you don’t.
STEVENS: Look. Yes. Look, Michiganders are going to the ballot box. All right. You know, there’s over a million people who have already voted, more to go. And I’ve made my, you know — proclamation clear.
COOPER: Can I just one last question?
STEVENS: I made up where I am.
COOPER: Just to be clear.
STEVENS: I love my state. I think this is a Michigan moment.
COOPER: You did speak with Debbie? And you did speak with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell last night, maybe not at midnight, sometime last night? And you did tell her you were not doing this and you told her — you told other people you would be at the church service with Clyburn. You told Debbie Dingell you were not going to do this. Is that correct? Last night, at some point.
STEVENS: Anderson, that — that is, you know, nice editorializing and nice bits of information —
COOPER: I’m about to speak to Debbie Dingell.
STEVENS: — that you have about what’s going on with Michigan politics.
COOPER: So I’m giving you the courtesy —
STEVENS: Look.
COOPER: I’m giving you the courtesy of saying what actually happened.
STEVENS: I had an opportunity to go to a church service and have a prayerful moment. It was Sunday. It was very beautiful. It was about friendship of which I have many incredible friends in the Democratic Party, and I care a lot about them.
COOPER: You don’t want to say whether you had a conversation with Debbie Dingell. OK.
Congresswoman Haley, I really — Haley Stevens, thank you very much. I appreciate your time.
STEVENS: OK. Thank you.
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