Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made a last-minute effort to persuade Congresswoman Haley Stevens not to break with the Democratic Party—only to be blindsided by Stevens days later.
The 25-minute phone conversation, reported by Politico, highlights the frantic behind-the-scenes efforts by Democrats to prevent a damaging rupture just days before Michigan’s closely watched Senate election.
Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent supporter of Abdul El-Sayed, reportedly contacted Stevens after concerns arose that she might follow her fiancé, Jason Turkish, in endorsing Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
The New York progressive had been campaigning alongside El-Sayed in Michigan, backing him after he defeated Stevens in the Democratic primary.
According to Politico, the October 28 call ended cordially. Stevens assured Ocasio-Cortez that she was “still on the team.”
The two lawmakers followed up with a series of warm text messages.
“[T]hank you so much for talking to me and hearing me,” Stevens wrote to AOC. “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 race was further complicated by divisions within the Democratic Party, including criticism from former Democratic primary rival Haley Stevens, who shocked party leaders by endorsing Rogers just two days before Election Day
AOC and Stevens spoke for 25 minutes, with Stevens telling the progressive New York congresswoman by text that she was “still on the team”
But on Sunday morning, Stevens stunned Democrats by appearing with Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit and announcing her endorsement of the Republican over El-Sayed.
In an October 26 interview with Politico, Stevens had criticized Ocasio-Cortez for holding a campaign event in Pontiac, Michigan—a city located 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.”
She also said Ocasio-Cortez had not replied to a text message Stevens sent the previous year.
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Stevens’ endorsement came despite assurances to senior Democrats that she would continue supporting the party’s nominee.
She had even been expected to attend a church service with El-Sayed and Democratic Representative James Clyburn in a planned display of unity before Election Day.
Instead, Stevens appeared alongside Rogers, who welcomed her support.
The dramatic reversal followed weeks of friction between Stevens and El-Sayed, including disagreements over Israel and Iran.
Stevens had criticized El-Sayed over remarks about the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and his answer when asked whether Iran or Israel represented the greater threat to the United States.
She also called on him to condemn an advertisement from an outside group that linked American support for Israel to rising grocery prices—an ad she described as antisemitic.
Stevens further called on him to apologize for his own remarks about Israel and to take down a campaign advertisement featuring conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
She also objected to his association with controversial progressive streamer Hasan Piker, who’s made controversial remarks in the past about Israel.
El-Sayed’s campaign allegedly had asked Stevens to stay away from its remaining campaign events, arguing that the public feud was becoming a distraction.
The fallout from Sunday’s announcement was immediate, with members of Stevens’ congressional staff resigning in protest.
But President Donald Trump celebrated the endorsement and said he would love to see Stevens join the Republican Party at a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday.
‘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.’
The Daily Mail reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s team for comment.