# A Democratic Betrayal and GOP Panic: The Wild Finale of the Midterms

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/a-democratic-betrayal-and-gop-panic-the-wild-finale-of-the-midterms/
- Published: 2026-11-03T00:43:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T10:56:02+00:00
- Original publisher: Mother Jones
- Original article: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/11/stress-test-video-podcast-election-eve-michigan-haley-stevens-polling/
- Topics: Elections, Government, Politics

## Key points

- Haley Stevens backed Republican Mike Rogers after withdrawing support for Abdul El-Sayed.
- The Michigan Senate race could affect control of the chamber.
- JD Vance campaigned for a House candidate who has spent $17 million.

## Summary

Haley Stevens, a defeated Democratic primary candidate in Michigan, withdrew her support for Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed and endorsed Republican Mike Rogers shortly before the midterm election. The move angered Democratic leaders and surprised local voters, with Stevens offering little explanation beyond saying she felt hurt by El-Sayed; the hosts discuss how a personal dispute could affect a race with implications for control of the Senate.

The programme also considers the limits of last-minute polling and pre-election legal challenges over ballots in California and Alaska, which may foreshadow disputes after voting. Reporter Noah Lanard describes Vice-President JD Vance campaigning for Republican House candidate Anthony Constantino in a district Donald Trump won by 21 points; Constantino has spent $17 million of his own money on the race. The hosts flag contests in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Georgia and Tennessee.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.