Rising Rising

Haley Stevens STUNS Dems with Mike Rogers endorsement (Plus: Ted Cruz rips Talarico) | RISING

Nov 2, 2026 · 51m

Summary

The episode opens election week by analyzing Representative Haley Stevens' last-minute endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race, following a dispute with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. The hosts debate whether Stevens' decision reflects legitimate ideological dissent or personal spite, contrasting it with the Democratic Party's harsh "traitor" rhetoric. The discussion also covers Senator Chris Murphy's recent stroke, highlighting the intense stress of modern politics and the importance of bipartisan concern for elected officials' health.

Topics discussed

Sponsor: Shopify Sponsor: Experian Halloween recap and kids' access to information Haley Stevens drops El-Sayed, endorses Mike Rogers Debate on party loyalty vs. independent voting Criticism of Stevens' timing and personal motives Democratic reaction and comparison to GOP dissent El-Sayed's distancing from Piker and Uygur ad Comparison to Trump's purging of dissenters Senator Chris Murphy suffers stroke Discussion on health of Congress members Political polarization and access to information Promo: The Hill election night coverage Stevens' past criticisms of Mike Rogers Timeline of Stevens' reversal and fiancé's role Analysis of Stevens' lack of policy explanation Accusations of using Black voters as pawns Ideological comparison: El-Sayed vs. Rogers Critique of Stevens' consistency and waning support Defense of Stevens' right to switch candidates Trump's defamation suit against WSJ dismissed Legal analysis of actual malice standard Criticism of Trump's litigation strategy Epstein files release and DOJ handling Promo: The Hill election night coverage Texas race: Cruz attacks Tallarico as woke Contextualizing Tallarico's comments on trans kids Sign-off and sponsor: Shopify Sponsor: Wayfair
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