Jeffries: Democrats will discuss ‘next steps’ on Stevens when Congress returns

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) says Democrats will consider “next steps” for Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) when Congress reconvenes next week, after the lawmaker endorsed former Rep. Mike Rogers (R) in the Michigan Senate race.

“Haley Stevens made a terrible decision, blindsided everyone and isolated herself from the House Democratic Caucus,” Jeffries told Politico on Monday. “We will have a discussion about appropriate next steps upon our return.”

Both the House and Senate will be back in session on Nov. 9, less than a week after Election Day.

Stevens on Sunday put her support behind Rogers to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) over progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed. She also recently appeared with the Republican on the campaign trail.

El-Sayed narrowly clinched victory in the Democratic primary over Stevens earlier this year, and tensions have risen in recent days between the two. The lawmaker’s fiance, who is Jewish, endorsed Rogers after voicing opposition to the progressive candidate’s stance on Israel.

House Democratic Caucus rules state that “in order to maintain membership in good standing, Members shall not participate in campaign activities for any candidate in a partisan federal election who is not a Member of the Democratic Party.”

Democrats, including Jeffries, have pushed back on Stevens’s decision — which she later defended — as the party looks to take control of both chambers of Congress next year.

“Let’s be clear about one thing. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed will always put the American people first and fight hard to lower the high cost of living,” the House Democratic leader posted Sunday on the social platform X. “His election is critical to flipping control of the United States Senate.”

Last week, El-Sayed told Stevens to avoid his campaign events and disinvited her from a planned appearance , a source familiar with the matter told NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network. He also fired back at her after the lawmaker expected him to apologize about previous comments seen as antisemitic.

“So, while Congresswoman Stevens seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago, let’s all focus on the task at hand: that’s beating Mike Rogers, holding Trump accountable, and getting money out of politics,” El-Sayed wrote Friday online.

Curtis Hertel, who chairs the Michigan Democratic Party, said Sunday in a post on X that “Congresswoman Stevens is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future.”

The Hill has reached out to the lawmaker’s office for comment.