Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer backs Haley Stevens in contested Democratic Senate primary

2026 ElectionMichigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer backs Haley Stevens in contested Democratic Senate primaryWhitmer had expressed concerns about the “rhetoric” in the race between Stevens, a House member, and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, in Washington, DC on March 11.Daniel Heuer / Bloomberg via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 24, 2026, 3:38 PM EDTBy Henry J. Gomez and Allan SmithMichigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer waded into her state’s divisive Democratic Senate primary Friday, endorsing Rep. Haley Stevens.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“As governor I’ve had one strategy: Get things done. And that strategy informs everything that I do, and that’s why I’m endorsing Haley Stevens for the U.S. Senate,” Whitmer said in a video Stevens shared on X. “Just like me, Haley will do whatever it takes to get things done for the people of Michigan, and we need her now more than ever.”Whitmer is backing Stevens in the Senate primary over former public health official Abdul El-Sayed, whom she beat in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor. Whitmer’s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.In her post accompanying Whitmer’s video, Stevens said she is “absolutely thrilled” to have the support. Whitmer, Stevens added, “is a champion for our state, she understands the stakes of this race and why it’s so important we elect the strongest Dem in this primary, and she gets stuff done for Michigan.”Whitmer’s endorsement could be a windfall for Stevens. The governor, who is prevented by term limits from seeking a third term this year, remains popular with Michigan voters. A May poll by the Detroit Regional Chamber measured her job approval rating at 52%.Add NBC News to Google‘Voters want change’: Michigan Dem Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on tight primary race12:50A more recent poll of 50...