Haley Stevens who backed a Republican over her party’s pick stayed in GOP cloakroom during votes

WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic Rep Haley Stevens spent the House’s first voting session after the midterms tucked away in the Republican cloakroom, avoiding reporters who searched for her around the Capitol.

Stevens, who represents Michigan, faced fierce backlash from Democrats after crossing party lines to endorse Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers instead of supporting her party’s nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, just days before Election Day.

When reporters from The Washington Sun and Politico stopped by Stevens’ office on Monday, November 9, they found the door locked and received no response to their calls or knocks.

Stevens eventually emerged to cast her votes in the House, but instead of joining her fellow Democrats on the floor, she remained on the Republican side.

As Stevens prepares to finish her term, her recent moves have fueled speculation about her standing within the Democratic caucus.

Haley Stevens avoids reporters in GOP cloakroom

Reese Gorman of The Washington Sun reported that Stevens stayed in the Republican cloakroom during Monday night’s votes, citing several sources.

Earlier that day, Gorman and a few other reporters had tried to visit her office but found it locked.

Riley Rogerson and Katherine Tully-McManus of Politico encountered a similar situation. Stevens was nowhere to be found.

Her Rayburn office was locked, the lights were off, and no one answered despite repeated knocks and calls. In a twist, a sign on the locked door read, “please come in.”

Although she kept a low profile, Stevens still cast her votes in the House. The Washington Sun reported that House clerk records showed her voting “yes” on two bills.

The developments came as Stevens faced questions about her standing within the House Democratic Caucus.

Politico noted that her decision to endorse Rogers could strain her relationship with party leaders, particularly as lawmakers prepare to tackle major year-end legislation before Democrats officially take control of the House in January.

Stevens’ office did not respond to The Washington Sun’s requests for comment.

Haley Stevens faces backlash over Mike Rogers endorsement

On November 1, Stevens sparked a political storm when she threw her support behind Rogers, the Republican candidate running against El-Sayed for Michigan’s Senate seat. Stevens had lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed in August following a contentious race.

Her endorsement came after a dispute between the two Democrats over an advertisement released by an outside group.

Stevens called the ad antisemitic because it linked US military aid to Israel with higher grocery prices and demanded that El-Sayed publicly reject it.

In her video announcement, Stevens did not hold back.

She said El-Sayed had made it clear that there was no room for her in his campaign. “And he’s right, and that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today,” she said.

The move sparked strong backlash from top Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not mince words, calling it a “despicable betrayal.”

Soon after, several of Stevens’ congressional staffers, including her chief of staff, Justin German, resigned.

Stevens stood by her decision, describing it as deeply personal. She insisted that she remained a Democrat and had not abandoned her party.

Donald Trump seized the moment to applaud her endorsement, calling it a sign of “great and almost unprecedented loyalty.” Even so, her support did little to help Rogers, who lost to El-Sayed by seven percentage points on November 3.

Now, as Stevens’ term winds down, reports that she plans to stay in the Republican cloakroom add another twist to the controversy surrounding her break with Democratic leadership.