Trump praises Haley Stevens in Iowa and urges her to switch to the Republican Party two days before the elections
Dubuque, Iowa — President Donald Trump on Sunday praised Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens for her surprise endorsement of the Republican Senate nominee in Michigan, Mike Rogers, and urged her to switch to the Republican Party, at a rally held in Iowa two days before the midterm elections. The reaction is the latest development in the political turn that Stevens announced on Sunday by backing Rogers over the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.
Trump called Stevens' endorsement “brave” and said he would like her to join the Republicans, USA Today reported from the rescheduled rally in Dubuque. The president also launched a series of attacks against El-Sayed, falsely calling him a “jihadist” and suggesting he was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a group the candidate has publicly disavowed. If he wins on Tuesday, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim American elected to the United States Senate.
The Democratic reaction was swift. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Stevens' endorsement “a despicable betrayal” and said Senate Democrats are united in their support for El-Sayed. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also criticized Stevens, saying she “betrayed” working-class voters.
El-Sayed downplayed the controversy and said Sunday night that the race is not about him, Rogers, or Stevens, but about Trump. “Mike Rogers is going to be a vote for Donald Trump,” he said in a television interview, in which he stressed issues such as the cost of living and health care.
At the same rally, House Speaker Mike Johnson urged Iowa voters to ignore polls showing Republicans behind and said “the polls are wrong all around the country.” The White House also announced that Trump will speak on Monday at the Reflecting Pool, near the Lincoln Memorial, hours before voters head to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, when all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governorships will be at stake.
Photo: Archivo A Lo Claro
Source: USA Today