Mike Rogers claims internal model puts him ahead of Abdul El‑Sayed as Haley Stevens endorses him
Rogers cites a proprietary model for a seven‑point early‑vote edge; Stevens endorses him after a dispute with El‑Sayed.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers told reporters on Saturday that an internal model shows him ahead of Democrat Abdul El‑Sayed by almost seven points in early votes, while former Democratic rival Haley Stevens announced an endorsement of Rogers on Sunday.
What happened
Rogers said the model, which tracks party affiliation and voting history of early‑ballot voters, indicates a seven‑point advantage for his campaign. He noted that early returns, which currently show Democrats at 51% and Republicans at 39% according to data compiled by NBC News, do not reveal how individual early voters will ultimately vote.
On Sunday, Stevens released a video stating that El‑Sayed told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign, prompting her to back Rogers. She made the endorsement after attending a Detroit church service with Rogers.
What the reports add
Reuters, cited by the New York Post, provided the early‑vote split of 51% Democrat, 39% Republican and 10% independent/third‑party. The Independent reported that Stevens had been uninvited from a joint event with El‑Sayed on the same day and that her chief of staff resigned following the endorsement.
What was said
"The returns, you can’t tell how they’re going to vote, but you can tell by our models, would they vote for us or not — likely," Rogers told reporters, according to the New York Post.
"Well, we’re ahead on the early returns so that’s very good for us — almost by seven percent," he added.
Stevens said in her video, "Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away. And he's right. And that's why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today," as reported by the Independent.
How it came about
Rogers has previously highlighted his ground game and house‑to‑house outreach, a theme echoed in Felo’s September 20 coverage of his campaign strategy. The feud between El‑Sayed and Stevens over Israel comments was detailed in Felo’s October 31 article, providing context for the sudden endorsement. Earlier debates between the two Senate hopefuls, including the October 9 debate in Grand Rapids, were covered by Felo and illustrate the escalating rivalry ahead of the November 3 election.
Key facts
- Mike Rogers says an internal model shows him ahead of Abdul El‑Sayed by about seven points. (nypost.com)
- Early vote totals compiled by NBC News show Democrats at 51% and Republicans at 39%. (nypost.com)
- Haley Stevens endorsed Mike Rogers after a dispute with Abdul El‑Sayed. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-10-09 — Rogers and El‑Sayed debated in Grand Rapids, exchanging attacks over home ownership.
- 2026-10-31 — El‑Sayed and Stevens traded barbs over Israel comments.
- 2026-11-01 — Rogers cites internal model; Stevens endorses Rogers.
Sources
- [1] nypost.com
- [2] independent.co.uk
