Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens Falsely Claims Berrien County Endorsement

Michigan Democratic U.S. Representative Haley Stevens, who is running for the state's open U.S. Senate seat, falsely claimed an endorsement from Berrien County Commissioner Chokwe Pitchford on social media. Pitchford quickly denied ever endorsing Stevens or being contacted by her campaign, calling the situation "the most strange thing" in his political experience and emphasizing he takes endorsements seriously. Stevens' campaign deleted the post and attributed the incident to a "miscommunication," while highlighting other endorsements from Michigan political figures and groups. The false endorsement claim has drawn attention amid a competitive Democratic primary where Stevens leads with about 24% support, followed closely by Abdul El-Sayed. Some local officials have defended Stevens' commitment to communities of color despite the controversy. The incident underscores the complexities and tensions within Michigan's Democratic Senate primary race.