Donald Trump has praised Haley Stevens after the Michigan lawmaker switched her support to Republican Mike Rogers in his Senate campaign, saying she had “did the right thing”.
Trump told reporters he wanted to call Stevens to thank her and described her decision as brave. He said he would like to see her join the Republican Party.
“I don’t know her, I’ve never met her, but I have great respect for her,” Trump said of Stevens, adding that she was a “highly respected Democrat”.
Stevens had previously backed Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated her in the party’s primary. Her decision to support Rogers, described as a former opponent, marked a significant change in position.
Trump is closely aligned with Rogers, who is running for a Senate seat. His comments came after Stevens’s endorsement was announced.
Both Stevens’s chief of staff and communications director reportedly resigned following the announcement.
Stevens’s fiancé, Jason Turkish, said she might withdraw her support for El-Sayed because of campaign advertisements she considered anti-Semitic. That claim was made during an appearance on Friday.
