After bitter Senate primary, former rival dodges full throated Sayed endorsement despite having endorsed nominee

CNN presses Stevens on El-Sayed

CNN host Dana Bash asked Stevens why she had not campaigned with El-Sayed, even though she endorsed him after the primary. Stevens replied by describing her campaigning for Democratic House candidates across Michigan.

Asked directly whether she was fully behind the nominee, Stevens stopped short of saying so. She instead noted her place on the Democratic ticket and said she could not agree with everything that had gone on.

Stevens highlights other candidates

Stevens pointed to her backing for gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson and Democratic candidates for the House. She did not name El-Sayed while discussing those campaign efforts. Bash followed up by asking whether Stevens was still on the team. Stevens answered that she was, without offering a stronger statement of support for the Senate nominee.

A primary defeat before midterms

El-Sayed narrowly defeated Stevens in the Democratic Senate primary months earlier. The interview took place days before the midterm elections, bringing renewed attention to the relationship between the former rivals.

Stevens, a Democratic representative from Michigan, had endorsed El-Sayed after losing the primary. She nevertheless had not campaigned alongside him, according to the report.