Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters has endorsed U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to replace him next year.
The endorsement on Monday, July 13, comes three weeks before the primary with Stevens in a tight race with former Wayne County and Detroit health director Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor for the nomination.
The winner will face Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake, who is unopposed in the Republican primary and has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
“I have been surrounded by many extremely talented and dedicated partners who work tirelessly for our state,” Peters said in a statement released by Stevens’ campaign. “Haley Stevens has been that partner in Congress.”
“I am all in for Haley Stevens,” said Peters, who is stepping down following two six-year terms in the Senate. In 2020, Peters won reelection by less than 2 percentage points to Republican John James, who went on to win a U.S. House seat and is running for Michigan governor this year.
In the statement, Peters also cited Stevens’ work as a member of then-President Barack Obama’s auto task force that in 2009-10 guided General Motors and what-was-then Chrysler through structured bankruptcies, with government financing, in an effort credited with saving both and keeping much of the U.S. auto manufacturing industry from failing.
Peters, of Bloomfield Township, formerly represented much of the same area that Stevens now does when he was in the U.S. House prior to redistricting after the 2010 Census and his running for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2014.
That said, it is somewhat atypical for sitting Democratic U.S. senators and other top Party officeholders in Michigan to endorse in close nomination races in the state. Peters’ wife, Colleen Ochoa Peters, had earlier this year endorsed Stevens.
There has been little-to-no polling by neutral, third parties in the Democratic primary race since a third candidate, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak dropped out July 5 after outside groups, including pro-Israel groups, committed tens of millions of on-air support for Stevens.
Polling averages, based on older polling, have shown El-Sayed, who is running as a progressive with the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and the United Auto Workers, with a slight lead.
Stevens is a more-moderate Democrat who has served in Congress since 2019 and has been endorsed by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, state Attorney General Dana Nessel and much of the Party’s establishment wing.
Peters is also a close ally of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who has said he supports Stevens, and for two election cycles led the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for Schumer.
Stevens said she was honored to have Peters’ support.
“When I put up my hand to run for Senate last year, I knew I was running to follow in the footsteps of one of the most effective fighters that has ever served the people of Michigan: Senator Gary Peters,” she said.
