Haley Stevens faces push for removal from House Dem caucus
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Rep. Haley Stevens attends a primary election night watch party in Detroit, Mich., on Aug. 5. Photo: Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Some House Democrats want Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) expelled from their caucus after she crossed party lines to endorse Republican Mike Rogers for Senate on Sunday.
Why it matters: It would be an extraordinary step that reflects the deep internal resentment towards Stevens within her own party.
- "I hope she doesn't return to work on Tuesday," Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) told Axios, saying Stevens should be removed from the caucus.
- "Agreed," Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) told Axios, arguing the endorsement "doesn't accomplish anything except hurt[ing] Haley" and that "she got bad advice."
- "I'd support that," Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) said of removing Stevens from the caucus.
Driving the news: Stevens infuriated colleagues on Sunday by endorsing Rogers over Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated Stevens in the Senate primary in August.
- Stevens, a pro-Israel moderate, had been urging the more left-leaning El-Sayed to more forcefully denounce a super PAC ad partially blaming U.S. aid to Israel for rising prices. Stevens said the ad claimed "Jews are responsible for America's economic woes."
- El-Sayed pushed back in a statement saying Stevens "seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago."
- Stevens attended church with Rogers on Sunday and released a video to social media endorsing him. The two also held a joint press conference.
What we're hearing: There has been private discussion about moving to oust Stevens, a senior House Democrat said, telling Axios, "That's what people want."
- Stevens was also removed from several House Democratic text chains, the senior lawmaker said.
- A second House Democrat told Axios: "I've heard people invoking the rule about not endorsing against Democrats."
- "Endorsing a Republican in a tipping point state is ridiculous, especially from a Democrat ... She should be removed from our caucus altogether," a third House Democrat said.
Yes, but: Not everyone is on board with the idea — even those frustrated at Stevens.
- The senior House Democrat told Axios that, at the very least, "we need to wait and have the discussion after Tuesday."
- A fourth House Democrat said it's "too bad she chose to throw her career in Congress away so easily" but that the caucus "might still need her vote in the final two months before she's gone."
- Several lawmakers noted that Stevens is retiring anyway and that if El-Sayed wins, the point likely becomes moot.
Stevens did not immediately respond to a text requesting comment on this story.
The bottom line: "[I] am not letting it distract me from the work between now and Tuesday at 8pm," Randall told Axios.
