Recently sworn in for her fourth term in Congress, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) has set herself apart as one of the most outspoken Michigan Democrats in support of Israel and against rising antisemitism. 

Her stance has won her strong support with her district’s sizable Jewish community, which helped her defeat Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI) in a member-on-member primary in 2022. Her allyship with the Michigan Jewish community has set her apart in a state where many Democrats have tried to walk a political tightrope since Oct. 7, 2023, attempting to maintain support from the Jewish community while wooing anti-Israel progressives, along with Muslim and Arab-American constituencies.

Now, as she considers a bid for Michigan’s open Senate seat in 2026, Stevens spoke to Jewish Insider about her approach to policymaking and politics.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Jewish Insider: You’re one of the most outspoken pro-Israel House Democrats. Are you concerned that the Democratic Party is moving away from its historic role of being a bulwark of support for the Jewish state? 

Rep. Haley Stevens: I don’t know about that — I certainly don’t think so. I’m in the Democratic Party and I’m a stalwart supporter of the Jewish state and I intend to stay a Democrat.

All I can do is speak for myself — I’m the chair of the NewDem Action Fund [the political arm of the moderate New Democrat Coalition], I’m a pretty popular member of Congress. I don’t see anyone phasing me out of the party because of my beliefs and I see colleagues embracing me all the time and looking for my direction. I was just asked to be a chair of the [House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism] so no, I think the party has a lot of good people doing good things for the Jewish and pro Israel communities — a lot more than not.

JI: Do you think your fellow Democratic lawmakers in Michigan -– particularly Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — are doing enough to condemn antisemitism in the state? It seems like you are typically the first — and sometimes only — one to release statements when antisemitic incidents occur.  Why does it seem like it takes a long time for some politicians to unequivocally denounce antisemitism? 

HS: It shouldn’t be hard for people to speak about it. For me, it comes really naturally and is just a reminder of values and sticking up for people. I mean, we have seen an increase of Jewish hate and violence towards the Jewish community and we can’t stand for it. It’s important to speak out, particularly for elected officials. 

You’d have to ask [others] why it’s harder for them to speak out if that’s your calculation. Maybe it’s priorities. It could be lack of training, [but] I don’t know that we need to be trained.  

JI: Have you talked to your colleagues about that? You mentioned that they look to you for direction. 

HS: I have talked to people when it’s come up. For instance, there were some issues where Gov. Whitmer had to fix her statement after the Oct. 7 attacks happened. Then there were some things where [Michigan’s Jewish Attorney General] Dana Nessel was getting attacked by online trolls accusing her of being biased [for prosecuting crimes committed during campus protests over the Gaza war], and she and I were talking and we said something about that, we led a letter on that. Setting the tone inspires others to respond, but it just comes naturally to me. I’m certainly talking to colleagues. The antisemitism task force is a real platform and I’m also a co-chair of the [Congressional Task Force on American Hostages and Americans Wrongfully Detained Abroad] which has been an incredible way to engage people.  

JI: Were you surprised that Whitmer recently traveled to the UAE with a Michigan delegation that included Osama Siblani, who has praised Hezbollah as “heroes” and “martyrs?”

HS: [I was] surprised, yeah. 

I have never met Siblani, I don’t intend to meet him or affiliate with him and I can’t condone that type of relationship. He’s a grown man and shouldn’t be saying things like “all Jews should go back to Poland.” I don’t have time in my life for that and that’s not even a debate.

Certainly people have the ability to express their First Amendment rights, but I do not intend to take any trips abroad with Osama Siblani or anyone with those types of beliefs as part of a government mission. 

JI: What made you change your position on the bill to sanction the International Criminal Court?

HS: I wanted to put a redline down with ICC and at the time, there were two different bills. I didn’t want to put President Biden in a compromised spot. The ICC went further, first they made a declaration on Israel. I didn’t like it but we were working with our European allies on Ukraine, maybe a sanction isn’t the best way to go right off the get. I thought, ‘I’m gonna watch the ICC, I don’t like what they’re saying about Israel.’

Then when they put out the warrant for the arrest of elected leadership in Israel, it went way too far and I said, ‘we have to use the force we have right now, and we have a different president.’

At the time of the first, I’m close to Biden and his people and they had asked me, they said they didn’t want that bill to go forward so I didn’t do it then because of that. No one has ever brought up that vote to me [since]. 

JI: What does the Democratic Party need to do to win over swing voters it lost in the last election, beyond the issue of Israel and antisemitism? 

HS: I’m a pro-Israel Democrat and I’m a Democrat who’s fighting for an equal opportunity economy and with that are bringing supply chains back home and paid family leave, investment in public education, women’s rights and reproductive rights. I’m tackling gun violence with common-sense gun safety legislation and certainly an all-inclusive approach to investing in mental health and making sure we have a federal government that is effective. That encompasses why I’m a Democrat. Once we get that to a communication platform, we’re going to really be able to start winning elections in a big way.

And we didn’t lose every election. Michigan voted for Donald Trump but also voted for [freshman Sen.] Elissa Slotkin. 

With big elections coming up, midterms and then obviously the presidential, there’s gonna be a person who really rises to the occasion as the Democratic nominee for president and their positions are really gonna matter to people. It’s not to say our previous leadership was a failure, we’ve just got to re-clarify and recalibrate. With me, you will know where I stand. I will always  listen and attempt to learn because once you’re not learning you’re dying. Listening, learning and leading, in that order, is helpful. 

It’s also transparency. When constituents come to me — going back to Israel — and they say we need one state, I say, I don’t agree with that. When they say they hate that I support Israel — that I’m supporting genocide — I’m just very clear that I support Israel’s right to exist and here’s why. 

We’ve got to be very clear about who we are and stop making everyone happy at the expense of making no one happy. Days after Oct. 7, I told my team that clarity, transparency and consistency are key. That’s how I’ve approached this horrible war and the positions I’ve taken as a member of Congress who has voted proudly to continue our relationship [with Israel] while also making votes to support humanitarian aid into Gaza, which is a way to stop some of the horrors that Hamas has brought upon its people. 

JI: Any aspects of President Trump’s vision for Gaza that you support? 

HS: I’ve seen what the president has said about the future of a non-Hamas Gaza, and it’s a curious proposition. I have to imagine it comes from a place of really wanting peace for Israel. I need the concrete details. Are we talking about U.S. troops going in? Egypt getting involved? He’s the president of the U.S., so if he’s going to deliver a proposal to Congress, we’re going to have to look very carefully at what that proposal is. At this point, I don’t plan to support U.S. troops going on the ground and getting involved in that conflict. 

The president boasts about keeping America out of wars, so what does that actually look like? We’ve always been really clear to not take an American view of Israel’s plight. In particular, we need to look at what is going to be the best solution, we’ve got to be at the diplomacy table but we need to make sure that it’s led by Israel.  

JI: You’re considering a Senate run. When do you plan on making a decision?  

HS: I am very seriously looking at it and taking steps around what it would look like to run for Senate, but I have no official announcement to make right now. It’s amazing to look at representing the whole state of Michigan in the legislative chamber following on the heels of [retiring Democratic Sen.] Gary Peters, who has been an iconic leader on issues I very much work on, and cares about STEM education and manufacturing. It’s a loss for Michigan that he’s retiring and we need to have the right person fill his shoes. 

JI: Any thoughts about another possible candidate, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg?

HS: I’m going to the Michigan Democratic Party Convention this Saturday. I inquired with Mr. Buttigieg if he’s going to be there — we go back, we’re pals — he’s thinking about things too and I hope to see him at the convention, I don’t know if he’s going. 

Jewish Insider’s senior congressional correspondent Marc Rod contributed reporting.