Throughout the Michigan race, El-Sayed's strong criticism of Israel has been a source of tension within the Democrat Party.

A recent flashpoint involved an advert that came from an outside liberal group. The advert linked rising prices in the US with American support for Israel. Stevens called on El-Sayed to condemn it. El-Sayed said he did not agree with the advert's contents and said he had nothing to do with its contents, which was welcomed by Stevens.

The Michigan contest more broadly is one of the most closely-watched and bitter contests of the midterms.

El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim person ever elected to the US Senate, has faced a variety of attacks from Rogers and Trump.

The president has invoked 9/11 and called him a "jihadist" without citing any evidence, prompting a backlash and accusations of Islamophobia.

Image source, Reuters

Many Democrats are stunned after Michigan congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost out on the party's Senate nomination to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed his Republican rival Mike Rogers

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer called Stevens' endorsement "a despicable betrayal". Many of her staff reportedly resigned immediately after her announcement.

Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel wrote on X that Stevens is "not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future".

Republican Mike Rogers said Stevens showed "immense courage" in joining his campaign. He earlier said: "I would be honoured to earn support from Democrats across Michigan who believe in saving Michigan."

US President Donald Trump called her "very brave" at a campaign rally in Iowa, adding that she "said what few people were willing to say" and that he would love her to join the Republican Party.

Abdul El-Sayed told reporters he was focused on the problems Michiganders are facing when asked about Stevens' endorsement.

Image source, Reuters

Hours after Haley Stevens said she would back Republican Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race, she told CNN: "I woke up this morning clear-eyed, fresh and focused on what was in my heart, and that's that."

She had previously offered her endorsement to Abdul El-Sayed after conceding defeat to him during a closely-fought primary contest in August.

in her CNN interview, Stevens did not provide her specific rationale, saying: "I changed my mind. (El-Sayed) said, 'Hey, I don't need your endorsement.' That's fine. Why the anger? Why the frustration?"

Stevens insisted that "nothing with me changed". She added that she was now "rock solid" in her choice to back Rogers, although insisted: "I still love my party a whole lot."

Fellow Democrats who condemned the Stevens endorsement were also critical of her interview performance. It was described as "painful" by Debbie Dingell, who, like Stevens, currently represents Michigan in the House of Representatives.

Sakshi Venkatraman
US reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Tomorrow the US will hold a slate of important elections that could change the direction of the country - and define the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency.

These are called the midterms. Why? Because they fall in the middle of the president’s term.

While the president is not up for election in the midterms, they are largely a referendum on him and his political party. Under Trump, that’s the Republicans, who control both the White House and Congress, a two-chamber body that writes American laws.

Voters will be choosing those lawmakers tomorrow.

The Democrats, Trump’s opposition, want to take back control. Republicans, of course, want to keep it.

How the midterms play out will shape the country’s laws during a time when cost of living is high, the US is at war and Trump’s time in office is ticking down.

Michigan is one of a handful of battleground contests that will ultimately decide control of the Senate.

The seat is currently held by a retiring Democrat and the last time a Republican was elected to this Senate seat was in 1994. But in presidential elections, it is one of the crucial swing states - Michigan voted for Joe Biden in 2020 but Donald Trump in 2024.

Mike Rogers welcomed Stevens' endorsement and said it showed "courage" during brief remarks with reporters.

President Donald Trump echoed that sentiment during a campaign rally in Iowa, calling her "very brave".

"I don't know Haley. I've never met Haley. But Haley said what few people were willing to say," Trump said. "I'd love her to join the Republican Party actually."

Many of Stevens' staff reportedly resigned immediately after her announcement.

A row has erupted in the Democratic Party after Michigan congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost out on the party's Senate nomination in the state to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed Republican rival Mike Rogers

Stevens made a surprise appearance alongside Rogers on Sunday.

"I don't belong in Abdul's campaign," she said in a video posted to X shortly after that appearance. "Who we are as Michiganders is not hate and is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now."

"That's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers," Stevens said.

The move stunned many of Stevens' fellow Democrats who condemned her decision to switch her support just two days before the election, with one calling it a "despicable betrayal".

The Michigan Senate race is considered by analysts to be one of the tightest in Tuesday's midterm elections. It is one of a handful of battleground contests that will ultimately decide control of the Senate.

Grace Eliza Goodwin
US reporter

Here in the US, we're just one day out from a consequential election where control over Congress hangs in the balance.

Can Republicans hold on to their majorities in the House and Senate, or will Democrats wrest back power?

It’s a critical question for US President Donald Trump who has been campaigning in support of Republican candidates around the country. Losing his party’s majority in Congress would weaken his ability to fulfil his agenda and disrupt the remaining two years of his presidency.

We're watching key battleground states that could tip the scales in the Senate, including Texas, Maine, Michigan, Alaska, Ohio, Kansas and Iowa, where we'll have teams reporting on location this week.

American voters will also be deciding who they want to run their cities and states as well as a number of ballot measures on voter identification, property taxes, abortion access and more.

We'll keep you updated with everything you need to know, and why it matters.