Michigan Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens has requested protection from the U.S. Marshals Service after reporting death threats following her endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, according to two senior Trump administration officials who spoke to Axios. The request comes amid mounting political backlash over Stevens' decision to abandon Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed just days before the November 3 midterm elections. The circumstances surrounding the reported threats remain unclear, and federal authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional protection has been assigned to the congresswoman.

One administration official told Axios that Stevens contacted the Marshals Service after receiving threats and that her request would be subject to an approval process. The official indicated that protection was expected to be granted because Stevens is a sitting member of Congress, although no formal decision has been announced. Neither the identities of those allegedly responsible for the threats nor their contents have been publicly disclosed. Stevens was unavailable for comment when Axios sought a response Tuesday.

The security concerns follow an extraordinary political dispute that intensified over the final weekend of Michigan's Senate campaign. On Sunday, Stevens publicly endorsed Rogers, a former Republican congressman, despite having previously pledged to support El-Sayed following her defeat in the Democratic Senate primary in August. Stevens announced the decision in a video posted to social media after attending a church service alongside Rogers in Detroit. The endorsement immediately drew criticism from Democratic leaders, many of whom had supported Stevens during the primary and had spent months attempting to unite the party behind El-Sayed.

The dispute between Stevens and El-Sayed had been building for several days, largely over disagreements concerning Israel and the Democratic nominee's campaign associations. Stevens, a longtime supporter of Israel, criticized an advertisement produced by an outside political group that connected rising grocery prices to American support for Israel and military operations involving Palestinians. She demanded that El-Sayed condemn the advertisement, arguing that its messaging raised concerns about antisemitism. El-Sayed publicly rejected the advertisement's contents and emphasized that it had not been produced by his campaign, but Stevens maintained that her concerns had not been adequately addressed.

Tensions escalated further over El-Sayed's association with progressive political commentator Hasan Piker, who had appeared at campaign events with the Democratic nominee. Stevens publicly criticized those appearances and questioned whether the campaign was sufficiently addressing concerns raised by Jewish voters. The disagreements ultimately spilled into preparations for a planned Sunday campaign event involving El-Sayed, Stevens and South Carolina Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn. Stevens said she had been informed that she was no longer welcome at El-Sayed's campaign events, although Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell subsequently said she had asked Stevens not to attend the planned appearance because the dispute had become a distraction.

Rather than joining El-Sayed and other Democrats, Stevens appeared alongside Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit, where the two attended a service before speaking with reporters. Stevens maintained that she remained a Democrat and that her decision to support Rogers was limited to the Senate race rather than a broader departure from the party. Rogers welcomed the endorsement, describing it as a statement about opposing hatred and working toward Michigan's future. El-Sayed, meanwhile, sought to redirect attention toward economic concerns facing voters, including grocery prices, living costs and other issues central to his campaign.

The decision also triggered significant upheaval within Stevens' congressional office. Her longtime chief of staff, Justin German, resigned, while other senior staff members also departed following the endorsement. German said the team was shocked by her decision and reaffirmed support for El-Sayed, according to statements reported by CBS News. The departures underscored the extent of the disagreement between Stevens and members of her own political operation as the state approached Election Day.

Senior Democrats responded sharply to the endorsement, including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who publicly condemned Stevens' decision to support the Republican nominee. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel also criticized the congresswoman, while other party figures called for attention to return to the election rather than the dispute. President Donald Trump praised Stevens for backing Rogers, and Republican officials welcomed the endorsement as the campaign entered its final stretch. The disagreement unfolded in a closely contested race for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

Separate concerns about hostility toward Stevens emerged Monday when a threateningly worded message encouraging self-harm was discovered inside a bathroom at an office building housing her Farmington Hills office. Farmington Hills Assistant Police Chief Brian Moore confirmed to Deadline Detroit that officers investigated the writing, which authorities were treating as vandalism rather than a direct threat against the congresswoman. The message was reportedly discovered one day after Stevens announced her endorsement of Rogers. There has been no public indication that the incident is connected to the death threats described in the Axios report or to the request for federal protection.

The request for additional security raises questions about how federal authorities are responding to reported threats against elected officials amid an increasingly contentious election environment. The U.S. Capitol Police already has statutory authority to provide protection to members of Congress when deemed necessary, although Stevens' reported request specifically involves the U.S. Marshals Service. It remains unclear whether the agencies are coordinating on the matter, whether a formal threat assessment has been completed or whether investigators have identified any individuals responsible for the reported threats.

Michigan voters are casting ballots Tuesday in a Senate contest that has drawn national attention because of its potential implications for control of Congress. El-Sayed, a former public health official, is competing against Rogers, who previously represented Michigan in the House and narrowly lost a separate Senate race in 2024. Stevens' endorsement introduced an additional dispute into an election already marked by disagreements over economic policy, U.S. foreign relations and the direction of the Democratic Party.

For now, the reported threats and the request for federal protection remain the central unresolved developments. No public announcement has established whether Stevens will receive a protective detail, and authorities have not disclosed whether the alleged threats are being investigated as potential federal crimes. Further information from Stevens' office or federal law enforcement would be needed to clarify the scope of the security concerns and any action being taken in response.