Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made a last-minute effort to persuade fellow Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens not to abandon the party—only to see Stevens endorse a Republican days later.
The 25-minute private phone call, reported by Politico, underscores the frantic effort by Democrats to prevent a damaging rupture just days before Michigan’s closely watched Senate election.
Ocasio-Cortez, one of Abdul El-Sayed’s most prominent supporters, reportedly contacted Stevens after concerns surfaced that she might follow her fiancé, Jason Turkish, in supporting Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
The New York Democrat had been campaigning with El-Sayed in Michigan after backing him in the Democratic primary, where he defeated Stevens.
Politico reported that the October 28 conversation ended amicably. Stevens assured Ocasio-Cortez that she was “still on the team,” according to the report.
The two lawmakers then exchanged a series of cordial text messages.
“[T]hank you so much for talking to me and hearing me,” Stevens wrote to Ocasio-Cortez. “It means the world. Now back to the productive stuff.”
Ocasio-Cortez responded: “You really did and thank you for talking to me too. I’m sorry again and I’m really glad we got to connect and talk and I hope we are able to more. Sending you a big hug.”
The contest was further complicated by divisions among Democrats, including criticism from former primary rival Haley Stevens, who shocked party leaders by endorsing Rogers just two days before Election Day
AOC and Stevens spoke by phone for 25 minutes, with Stevens later telling the progressive New York congresswoman that she was “still on the team” in a text exchange
That apparent reconciliation unraveled Sunday morning, when Stevens appeared with Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit and announced that she was backing the Republican instead of El-Sayed.
In an October 26 interview with Politico, Stevens had criticized Ocasio-Cortez for holding a campaign event in Pontiac, Michigan—within Stevens’ district—without inviting her.
“Nobody wants the Democratic Party to feel like an exclusive club,” Stevens said. “It’s starting to feel like AOC comes in and it’s exclusive.”
Stevens also said Ocasio-Cortez had ignored a text message she sent the previous year.
Her endorsement of Rogers came despite assurances she had reportedly given senior Democrats that she would support the party’s nominee.
Stevens had been expected to attend a church service with El-Sayed and Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, an appearance intended to project unity before Election Day.
Instead, she joined Rogers, who welcomed her support.
The dramatic reversal followed weeks of friction between Stevens and El-Sayed, particularly over their positions on Israel and Iran.
Stevens criticized El-Sayed over remarks concerning the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and his response when asked whether Iran or Israel represented the greater threat to the United States.
She also called on him to denounce an outside-group advertisement that linked U.S. support for Israel to higher grocery prices, labeling the ad antisemitic.
Stevens additionally demanded that El-Sayed apologize for his comments about Israel and remove a campaign advertisement featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
She objected as well to his association with progressive streamer Hasan Piker, who has previously made controversial comments about Israel.
El-Sayed’s campaign reportedly asked Stevens to stay away from its remaining events, arguing that the public dispute had become a distraction.
The fallout from Sunday’s endorsement was swift, as members of Stevens’ congressional staff resigned in protest.
President Donald Trump, however, welcomed the move and said at a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday that he would like to see Stevens join the Republican Party.
“I don’t know Haley. I’ve never met Haley. But Haley said what few people were willing to say. I’d love her to join the Republican Party, actually.”
Our News Outlet contacted Ocasio-Cortez’s team for comment.
