Democrat Haley Stevens grilled on 11th-hour endorsement of Mike Rogers in tense interview

Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens faced hard questions from her liberal interviewer about her last-minute Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race on Sunday.

"Your fellow Michigan congresswoman, Debbie Dingell, said that she talked to you at midnight last night and that you told her you were not going to endorse Mike Rogers. If that is true, what changed between then and this morning?" CNN host Anderson Cooper asked.

Stevens responded, "This is just a weight off my shoulders, OK? Abdul has been getting angrier and angrier. I was trying to help, and I endorsed him. That [Rebellion PAC] ad was very painful. There are so many Democrats who want to vote for our Democratic nominee. And theyre just being told, Hey, this a party you dont belong in, or this is a campaign you dont belong in. And Ive never cast a present vote in the Congress. I'm making a decision here, and you know, thats just where I landed on this. I woke up this morning… clear-eyed, fresh and focused on what was in my heart and thats that."

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Stevens announced her endorsement of Rogers on Sunday in a stunning about-face, following El-Sayed saying, in her words, she was "no longer welcome in his campaign." El-Sayed edged Stevens in their hotly contested Democratic primary race for the Senate nomination.

The endorsement followed a controversial ad put up by Rebellion PAC, founded by The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur, in support of El-Sayed's campaign, which Stevens called antisemitic. She demanded El-Sayed condemn the ad and his campaign said it was not affiliated with the ad. El-Sayed said he disagreed with its contents, which showed grocery shoppers blaming Israel for rising prices.

Cooper continued questioning Stevens about what prompted her change of heart.

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"I had some time to, you know, think. I wasnt on the phone, I think, that late, but I know Debbies always working around the clock," Stevens said. "It might not have been midnight when I spoke with her. But I was there, and just alone with my thoughts. I was writing things out. And look, this level of anger, and the things that we are seeing, look, we all want Democrats to win. Im a really proud Democrat. And by the way, Abduls got every other Democrat with him. He just doesnt have me and a few other people who love this party. Nothing with me changed, Anderson."

Cooper asked about an August social media post in which Stevens criticized Rogers, writing, "Mike Rogers will be another rubber stamp for Donald Trumps dangerous agenda, we cant afford to give MAGA another Senate seat in November."

Asked why she was now supporting Rogers, Stevens pointed to El-Sayed and criticized what she described as his "anger" and "lack of kindness." At one point in the interview, Stevens said that it sounded like Cooper was angry with her as well, as he argued she wasn't answering his questions.

"It sounds like last night was a really big night where a lot built up what the turning point was," Cooper said.