Haley Stevens backs Mike Rogers. And, Gulf states brace for potential attack on Iran

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens stunned the political landscape by endorsing GOP Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers for Michigan's open Senate seat, breaking with her party less than 48 hours before Election Day. The surprise defection followed weeks of deteriorating relations with her former primary opponent, Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. In her endorsement of Rogers, Stevens cited El-Sayed's ties to political streamer Hasan Piker, whose remarks concerning Jewish people and Israel sparked backlash in August. El-Sayed sought to distance himself from the controversy, but Stevens has criticized him for not doing enough to reassure Black and Jewish voters who backed her in the primary. Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, right, and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., attend a service at Perfecting Church, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Detroit. Jose Juarez/AP hide caption Jose Juarez/AP 🎧 NPR's Sam Gringlas tells Up First that he has met Democrats who didn't support El-Sayed in...