# Michigan Democrats Feud, Midterm Map Shifts, US-Iran Diplomacy Efforts - **Show:** Up First from NPR - **Published:** 2 Nov 2026 - **Source:** https://www.npr.org/2026/11/02/nx-s1-6026052/michigan-democrats-feud-midterm-map-shifts-us-iran-diplomacy-efforts - **Transcript:** https://podcasts.opennash.com/shows/up-first/michigan-democrats-feud-midterm-map-shifts-us-iran-diplomacy-efforts-3cc581/ - **Provider:** OpenNash Podcasts (machine-generated) ## In brief On the eve of the 2026 midterms, the episode argues that the political map is tilting against Republicans. Democratic infighting in Michigan is a late complication. Sour voter moods over gas prices, inflation and an unpopular war with Iran have pushed traditionally red states into play. The central tension is between Democratic momentum and Democratic division. Haley Stevens's last-minute endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers shows deep party fault lines over Israel and identity. Abroad, Gulf states fear that a possible new US strike on Iran could undo fragile diplomacy led by Qatar. ## Key insights 1. **Stevens's switch exposes deep Democratic fault lines** Haley Stevens, who lost the primary to Abdul El-Sayed by about a point, backed Republican Mike Rogers on the eve of the vote, citing El-Sayed's Israel comments. Reporter Sam Greenblatt says these splits over Israel and party identity will outlast Election Day and shape the 2028 nomination. 2. **Michigan's Senate seat is pivotal for control** Greenblatt says holding the seat is key to Democrats retaking the Senate. That is why a late feud with staff resignations and Stevens's expulsion from the state party is so costly. 3. **Economic anger is reshaping the midterm map** Tamara Keith cites gasoline above $4 a gallon, rising inflation, worries about AI and data centers, and an unpopular Iran war. She says midterms are usually referendums on the president, and this pushes races in Kansas, South Carolina, Iowa, Ohio and Alaska toward competitive. 4. **Alaska's duplicate Sullivan fight moved to the courts** A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department suit to block certification of the Senate result over a second 'Daniel Sullivan' on the ballot. The department is appealing, and it is unclear whether voters will blame Democrat Mary Peltola. 5. **Gulf allies want pressure on Iran, not strikes** Aya Batrawi reports that Qatar is brokering a plan to halt ship attacks and restart US-Iran talks. UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash and other Arab officials warn that more strikes would complicate matters and not offer a quick way out. ## Questions this episode answers ### Why did Haley Stevens endorse a Republican in the Michigan Senate race? Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed, said it was a personal decision. She said El-Sayed had not done enough to reassure Jewish voters or disavow what she called dangerous rhetoric from some supporters. ### Why does the Michigan Senate race matter so much to national politics? Reporter Sam Greenblatt says holding this seat is key to Democrats retaking the Senate. The feud also shows divisions over Israel and the party's direction that will carry into the 2028 presidential race. ### What is the 'two Dan Sullivans' problem in Alaska? A second candidate named Daniel Sullivan is on the ballot alongside Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The Justice Department argued this would confuse voters and tried to block certification, but a judge dismissed the suit and the department is appealing. ### Why are Republicans worried about the midterms? According to Tamara Keith, voters are unhappy about gas prices above $4 a gallon, inflation, AI and data centers, corruption and the Iran war. Democrats are more motivated, and race ratings have shifted toward them, even in places Trump won by ten points or more. ### What is Qatar proposing on Iran, and why are Gulf countries nervous? Iran says Qatar has put a two-day plan on the table to stop attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and restart direct US-Iran talks. Gulf states fear Trump may strike again and say more military action would hurt the region and world energy supplies. ## Facts - **Sam Greenblatt** [0:03:02]: "Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after losing the primary by about a percentage point, but aside from a unity event right after that, they never campaigned together." - **Leila Fadel** [0:02:39]: "Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primaries to Abdul El-Sayed, has said Sunday she's not only revoking her endorsement of him, she's backing his GOP opponent." - **Sam Greenblatt** [0:05:28]: "Stevens' longtime chief of staff announced he and many staff have now quit, saying they're shocked and heartbroken by her actions." - **Sam Greenblatt** [0:05:28]: "And the Michigan Democratic Party chair wrote that Stevens was no longer a member." - **Sam Greenblatt** [0:04:18]: "Stevens says El-Sayed did not do enough to reassure these voters or to disavow rhetoric made by some of his supporters, she says, is dangerous." - **Sam Greenblatt** [0:04:18]: "the Rogers campaign has focused its closing argument, trying to paint El-Sayed, who'd be the first Muslim U. S. senator, as un-American." - **Sam Greenblatt** [0:05:54]: "especially as Democrats prepare to choose a presidential nominee in 2028. One of the earliest primary states to weigh in will be Michigan." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:06:50]: "a U. S. district judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit that had tried to block the certification of the results of that race." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:06:50]: "If the incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan doesn't win, DOJ tried to argue a second Daniel Sullivan on the ballot would confuse voters." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:07:23]: "Uh, the New York Times tied her campaign to getting Daniel J. Sullivan on the ballot, but Peltola denies it." - **Tamara Keith** [0:07:48]: "The average price of regular gasoline is over $4 a gallon. Inflation is up, people are worried about artificial intelligence and data centers." - **Tamara Keith** [0:09:18]: "the Justice Department tried to prosecute people before having to admit that the damage was actually the result of a rushed and botched job." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:10:43]: "They say that there is a two-day plan on the table to halt attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and to restart talks again between the U. S. and Iran directly." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:11:07]: "he said there were still one or more or two sites, uh, to take care of, and that this could be done in quote ten minutes." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:11:30]: "Military solutions will only complicate the current, very complicated scene that we have and will not actually bring any quick off-ramp to the solution." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:12:00]: "on the first day of this war, when U. S. strikes hit Iran and Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader, uh, Iran hit back at U. S. military sites across the region, including the fifth fleet here." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:12:43]: "this base is now down to a skeleton staff from what was 8,000 military personnel here before the war." - **Aya Batrawi** [0:12:58]: "So you have Arab states upping their radar systems and racing to purchase new technology, not just traditional interceptors that are running low" - **Aya Batrawi** [0:12:58]: "There was a visit last week to Tehran from the Saudis, Pakistanis, and Turks. They have a new defense alliance, those three countries" ## Transcript **[0:00:00] Leila Fadel:** How was your Halloween? How was, uh, **[0:00:02] A Martínez:** We have so much candy, candy and ramen, cause we give out ra- ramen too, ramen why do noodles, **[0:00:07] Leila Fadel:** you give out ramen? **[0:00:08] A Martínez:** cause that's what all the kids want. My **[0:00:10] Leila Fadel:** Really? **[0:00:10] A Martínez:** god, that's what, oh my god, yeah. One kid goes, Oh, I'd rather take the ramen because my parents don't wanna cook tonight. **[0:00:19] Leila Fadel:** Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens switched sides and endorsed the Republican in Michigan's Senate race. **[0:00:25] A Martínez:** She lost the primary to Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. Her party is calling her a traitor. So what's behind her change of mind? **[0:00:32] Leila Fadel:** I'm Leila Fadel, that's a Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. A judge rejected the Justice Department's attempt to block Alaska from certifying its Senate election results. The fight centers on a spoiler candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent. We'll look at how Alaska and other bread territories became battlegrounds this election cycle. **[0:00:54] A Martínez:** And Qatar has a new plan on the table to stop Iranian attacks on ships and reopen talks between the U. S. and Iran. Can diplomacy head off another round of war? Stay with us, we've got news you need to start your day. **[0:01:11] Ad read:** This message comes from Wise, the smart way to manage your money around the world. With Wise, you can send, spend and receive money in over 40 currencies at the mid-market rate. Learn more at wise dot com. T's and C's apply. **[0:01:26] Ad read:** This week on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, panelist Paula Poundstone shares a hot tip for saving money this Halloween. **[0:01:32] Ad read:** I used to have my kids go out early enough that I could take their candy and give it out. That's so smart. Yeah. **[0:01:41] Ad read:** Don't miss our full conversation and the rest of our games. Listen to the Wait Wait Don't Tell Me podcast in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. **[0:01:50] Ad read:** At NPR, there's a little something for everyone. If you need advice for that big life change, try listening to Life Kit. If you wanna know more about that new TV show, check out Pop Culture Happy Hour. And if you want to dive deeper into your favorite podcasts and enjoy perks like bonus episodes, archive access, and more, check out NPR Plus. Find out more and support the shows you love at plus dot npr dot org. **[0:02:14] Ad read:** This message comes from the NPR Wine Club, which has generated over $1.75 million to support NPR. Whether buying a few bottles or joining the club, learn more at nprwineclub dot org. Must be twenty-one or older to purchase. **[0:02:29] A Martínez:** A despicable betrayal. That is how Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is describing the eleventh hour drama unfolding in the critical Michigan U. S. Senate race. **[0:02:39] Leila Fadel:** Yeah, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primaries to Abdul El-Sayed, has said Sunday she's not only revoking her endorsement of him, she's backing his GOP opponent. **[0:02:50] A Martínez:** NPR congressional reporter Sam Greenblatt has been tracking the story from Michigan, joins us now from Ann Arbor. So Sam, I mean, this is the question I think everyone has on their mind. Why is this happening now, with just a few hours left in the campaign? **[0:03:02] Sam Greenblatt:** Yeah, so, a, we talk about October surprises in campaigns. You don't often get a November surprise, which is exactly what we have here. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after losing the primary by about a percentage point, but aside from a unity event right after that, they never campaigned together. And in recent days, Stevens started ramping up criticism of El-Sayed. The two Democrats traded seething statements, an attempted unity appearance for a Sunday souls to the polls event was scheduled at a church in Detroit and then fell apart. **[0:03:35] Sam Greenblatt:** And instead of attending that event on Sunday with El-Sayed, she showed up at another Detroit church with his GOP opponent, Mike Rogers. **[0:03:44] A Martínez:** Yeah, so how is Stevens explaining her reversal? **[0:03:47] Sam Greenblatt:** Stevens emerged from that service with Rogers by her side and told reporters her endorsement was a personal decision. I'm not trying to harm anyone. I've worked really hard for Democrats. I'm not turning my back on Democrats. It is this one vote. When you see repeated hate, it's not acceptable. I still love the party. Everyone should be fired up for Democrats. El-Sayed has made comments around Israel that have unsettled some Jewish voters. He's a vocal critic, she's a staunch defender. **[0:04:18] Sam Greenblatt:** Stevens says El-Sayed did not do enough to reassure these voters or to disavow rhetoric made by some of his supporters, she says, is dangerous. But up to the last minute, multiple Democrats have said publicly that Stevens was affirming to them she was still backing El-Sayed. And, you know, as we talk about campaign rhetoric, I should also note the Rogers campaign has focused its closing argument, trying to paint El-Sayed, who'd be the first Muslim U. S. senator, as un-American. **[0:04:45] A Martínez:** What has, uh, El-Sayed had to say? **[0:04:47] Sam Greenblatt:** I was at the Detroit Church El-Sayed and Stevens had been slated to attend together, and El-Sayed told reporters there he does not think about Haley Stevens at all. None of this matters. You know what matters? You can go like fifteen minutes that way or fifteen minutes that way. And there are families who are preparing to send their kids to schools tomorrow that look like they did fifty years ago. They're worried about what they're gonna feed their kids for lunch. **[0:05:09] Sam Greenblatt:** I have met Democrats who did not support El-Sayed in the primary and struggled with their vote this fall. Now, will this latest drama sway a bunch of late deciders? Maybe not. Still, this cannot be the closing discussion El-Sayed's campaign was hoping for. **[0:05:24] A Martínez:** No, uh, uh, how are other Democrats then responding to the situation? **[0:05:28] Sam Greenblatt:** Holding this seat is key to Democrats retaking the Senate. A lot of them are fuming and have rallied around El-Sayed. Uh, Stevens' longtime chief of staff announced he and many staff have now quit, saying they're shocked and heartbroken by her actions. And the Michigan Democratic Party chair wrote that Stevens was no longer a member. **[0:05:46] A Martínez:** So this matters because a Senate majority is on the line. But do you think this episode will reverberate beyond Tuesday in any way? **[0:05:54] Sam Greenblatt:** This turmoil re-exposed fault lines within the party that have been deepening all year, not just over Israel, but about the party's identity going forward. Even if Democrats reclaim one or both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, that won't resolve these questions. So this debate is gonna continue, especially as Democrats prepare to choose a presidential nominee in 2028. One of the earliest primary states to weigh in will be Michigan. **[0:06:19] A Martínez:** That is NPR congressional reporter Sam Greenblatt. Thanks a lot, Sam. **[0:06:23] Sam Greenblatt:** You're welcome. **[0:06:24] A Martínez:** Michigan is obviously not the only hotly contested race that'll be decided by voters this week. **[0:06:29] Leila Fadel:** Well, there are plenty of warning signs for Republicans. Many key races also appear to be very close. **[0:06:36] A Martínez:** NPR senior political correspondent Temer Keith is following all the twists and turns. Joins us now. So, Temer, let's start with the Alaska Senate race, where the, uh, double Dan Sullivan drama is at a fever pitch. Uh, what's, uh, the latest there? **[0:06:50] Aya Batrawi:** Yeah, a U. S. district judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit that had tried to block the certification of the results of that race. If the incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan doesn't win, DOJ tried to argue a second Daniel Sullivan on the ballot would confuse voters. The Justice Department is appealing. Um, that's the legal side of things. In terms of politics, it is an open question of whether Alaska voters will punish the Democrat in that race, Mary Peltola, for the whole Dan's Sullivan situation. **[0:07:23] Aya Batrawi:** Uh, the New York Times tied her campaign to getting Daniel J. Sullivan on the ballot, but Peltola denies it. President Trump and Republicans are making a very big deal of it, though. **[0:07:34] A Martínez:** Yeah, w- so more broadly, what's the political environment looking like as the election season winds down? **[0:07:39] Tamara Keith:** Voters are unhappy, and that has taken an election that was on favorable ground for Republicans Between between **[0:07:46] Sam Greenblatt:** a Senate map that runs through red states **[0:07:48] Tamara Keith:** a Senate map that runs through red states and and all the gerrymandering in House districts and moved it into a very uncomfortable place for the President and his party. The average price of regular gasoline is over $4 a gallon. Inflation is up, people are worried about artificial intelligence and data centers. The war with Iran is unpopular and looming over everything, and voters are increasingly voicing concerns about corruption. The message from Democrats is if you're unhappy, give us a chance to force change. **[0:08:19] Tamara Keith:** And the pitch from Republicans, as summed up by House Speaker Mike Johnson yesterday, is this is a contrast election between common sense and crazy. But midterms aren't usually about contrast, they are almost always referendums on the President and his party. all **[0:08:36] A Martínez:** All right, so what does that referendum look like on the ground? **[0:08:39] Tamara Keith:** All year, Democrats have been more motivated to vote than Republicans, and we're seeing that reflected in early voting data. Uh, the nonpartisan groups that rate races have continued moving their ratings toward Democrats. There are House battlegrounds in districts where President Trump won by ten points or more just, uh, two years ago, and in the Senate, states like Kansas and South Carolina could be in play. Iowa and Ohio **[0:09:05] Sam Greenblatt:** And Alaska are toss-ups, and Republicans are left putting a lot of hope in the bad blood among Democrats in Michigan, giving their candidate, uh, a better chance there. **[0:09:13] Tamara Keith:** giving their candidate, uh, a better chance there. **[0:09:15] A Martínez:** So how is, uh, President Trump closing out the election? **[0:09:18] Tamara Keith:** You know, he's actually set to deliver remarks this afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. According to a White House official, it's going to be sort of a combo closing argument and update on his projects in Washington, D. C. And a reminder that the Reflecting Pool was at the heart of controversy over the summer after Trump hastily restored it and then blamed vandals when the restoration went south. Uh, the Justice Department tried to prosecute people before having to admit that the damage was actually the result of a rushed and botched job. **[0:09:51] Tamara Keith:** It's fixed again, but remains a glaring symbol of Trump's focus on aesthetics. You know, this is just a strange choice of venue at a time when a majority of voters say the president hasn't paid enough attention to the country's most important problems. **[0:10:06] A Martínez:** Right, that's NPR's Tamara Keith. Tam, thank you very much. **[0:10:10] Tamara Keith:** You're welcome. **[0:10:11] A Martínez:** After Tuesday's elections, President Trump could decide to bomb Iran again. It's an option he's floated and one that's been discussed with Israel. **[0:10:20] Leila Fadel:** But he hasn't yet made a decision. The uncertainty about the possibility of a new round of attacks on Iran has U. S. partners in the Gulf on edge and bracing for more war. **[0:10:31] A Martínez:** Join us from Bahrain is NPR international correspondent Aya Batrawi. So, Aya, Qatar's been leading intense negotiations over the past seventy-two hours with Iran to try and stave off another round of fighting. How's that been going? **[0:10:43] Aya Batrawi:** Yeah, and we've been here before, right? So Qatar is tight-lipped, but the Iranians are making statements. They say that there is a two-day plan on the table to halt attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and to restart talks again between the U. S. and Iran directly. But Iran says what comes next hinges on the U. S. response to what's in this latest offer. And President Trump over the weekend was at a Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, and he told reporters that the U. **[0:11:07] Aya Batrawi:** S. had already taken out Iran's Navy and Air Force and nuclear sites. But he said there were still one or more or two sites, uh, to take care of, and that this could be done in quote ten minutes. But the view from the Gulf is that attacks will wreak more havoc on the region and world energy supplies. I was at a security summit over the weekend in Bahrain, and here is what senior UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash said. **[0:11:30] Aya Batrawi:** Military solutions will only complicate the current, very complicated scene that we have and will not actually bring any quick off-ramp to the solution. So this idea that this is not going to lead to a quick off-ramp by more military strikes was echoed by other senior Arab officials at the summit. You know, these U. S. partners, um, wanna see more pressure on on Iran, but not more strikes. **[0:11:54] A Martínez:** Mentioned that you're in Bahrain right now, uh, that's a country that's really been hit hard by Iran in this war. What are you seeing there? **[0:12:00] Aya Batrawi:** Yeah, and Bahrain is a small island nation in the Persian Gulf, with Iran to its, you know, east, a much bigger neighbor there. And it is home to the U. S. Navy's fifth fleet. But on the first day of this war, when U. S. strikes hit Iran and Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader, uh, Iran hit back at U. S. military sites across the region, including the fifth fleet here. And you can't take pictures of the damage, it's illegal here to do that, but I rode right past the logistics hub of the fifth fleet, and this is what I saw from the car on the highway. **[0:12:27] Aya Batrawi:** From the highway, you can literally see a radar that's been damaged. You can see what looks like, um, some kind of storage facilities or some kind of warehouses that have been, um, badly hit. Uh, they look charred. Uh, I mean, **[0:12:40] Leila Fadel:** It's all there. The damage is just there. **[0:12:43] Aya Batrawi:** and a this base is now down to a skeleton staff from what was 8,000 military personnel here before the war. **[0:12:49] A Martínez:** Wow. Now, given that, uh, it it is very unpredictable right now, uh, and no one knows what President Trump is gonna do. How are Gulf countries dealing with this? **[0:12:58] Aya Batrawi:** So you have Arab states upping their radar systems and racing to purchase new technology, not just traditional interceptors that are running low, but, you know, they're looking for things that can more cheaply shoot down Iranian drones and cruise and ballistic missiles. But they are also talking directly with Iran. There was a visit last week to Tehran from the Saudis, Pakistanis, and Turks. They have a new defense alliance, those three countries, and they made clear to Iran that they want de-escalation and dialogue, not more war. **[0:13:24] Aya Batrawi:** So, again, these Gulf Arab states, they want U. S. pressure on Iran. Think of, like, U. S. economic sanctions, but they do not want a return to war with Iran, and Iran has vowed powerful counterstrikes if it's hit. **[0:13:35] A Martínez:** That's NPR's Aya Batrawi in Manama, Bahrain. Thank you very much, Aya. **[0:13:39] Aya Batrawi:** Thanks, a. **[0:13:40] A Martínez:** Don't forget to tune in to this week's Sunday story for an election primer. We're halfway through Trump's final term in office, and he sits at a near historic low approval rating. Republican redistricting efforts may fall short as voters shift away from the president and his party. **[0:13:55] Aya Batrawi:** These new lines were drawn based on But President Trump's **[0:13:59] Tamara Keith:** as his second term has gone on, **[0:13:59] Aya Batrawi:** 2024 base, and since then, key components of that base he built have soured on him. **[0:14:08] A Martínez:** This week, dissatisfied voters take to the ballot to decide the future of America. Listen to yesterday's episode of the Sunday story right now in NPR's Up First podcast. And that's up first for Monday, November second. I'm A Martínez. **[0:14:25] Leila Fadel:** And I'm Leila Fadel. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Jason Breslow, Brett Neely, Miguel Macias, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Taylor Haney. It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Join us again tomorrow. **[0:15:07] Ad read:** This week on the NPR Politics podcast, a massive blue wave, a history-making realignment in American politics. What will Democrats do with their power, both in Washington in states around the and **[0:15:21] Ad read:** country? Listen as we unpack what a new political era could look like this week on the NPR Politics podcast. **[0:15:28] Ad read:** Oh, Kevin, it feels good to be back. It sure does, Casey. And what a time. The world is talking about AI and what's going on in Silicon Valley, and we are here with a new show to tell you all about it. That's right, Kevin, on our new show, Machine Guys, twice a week, we'll be bringing you the biggest news in tech and bring you unmatched access to the real titans of this industry. You can find Machine Guys from NPR on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. **[0:15:55] Ad read:** hi, it's Terry Gross, host of Fresh Air. I interviewed John Turturro, and he was great, talking **[0:15:59] Ad read:** Thinking about learning to be a pickpocket for his new movie and how growing up in a volatile home helped him as an actor. **[0:16:06] Interviewee:** My brother said to me once, I've given you a lot of material. And I said, You know, you're really right, you're right. I said, but at a high cost. **[0:16:15] Ad read:** Find it on the NPR app or wherever you listen to Fresh Air.