Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), who is running for U.S. Senate to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, appeared to fabricate an endorsement from a local elected official. According to Daily Caller, Stevens posted on X to publicly thank Berrien County Commissioner Chokwe Pitchford for endorsing her. However, Pitchford denied the endorsement. “I literally never endorsed her or heard a word from her team. I promise you, I have not talked to anyone, emailed anyone about endorsements, or even hinted that I would be open to endorsing her,” Pitchford said. I literally never endorsed her or heard a word from her team. I promise you, I have not talked to anyone, emailed anyone about endorsements, or even hinted that I would be open to endorsing her. https://t.co/tTM7u6rAOT — Chokwe Pitchford (@ComPitchford) September 2, 2025 Stevens deleted the post thanking Pitchford for the endorsement. One X user shared a screenshot: Happy September from the Haley Stevens campaign pic.twitter.com/4HvQNfWP6J — umichvoter (@umichvoter) September 2, 2025 Daily Caller has more: Stevens launched her campaign in April for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, setting up a primary fight against two left-wing challengers. Her campaign website says Stevens will “bring down costs for Michigan families, continue to boost Michigan’s manufacturing and auto industries, and stand up to the Trump-Musk chaos agenda.” Stevens enters a Democratic field that includes State Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed. More than 40% of Democratic voters remain undecided in Michigan’s crowded Senate primary, according to a July poll from the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Stevens leads the field with 24% support, closely followed by El-Sayed at 22%, while State Sen. Mallory McMorrow trails at 11%. The Stevens campaign blamed a “miscommunication” for the false endorsement claim. Stevens campaign cites ‘miscommunication’ after false endorsement claim in US Senate race https://t.co/28mGFvjTrg — Michigan Politics (@MLivePolitics) September 3, 2025 MLive noted: Not long after Pitchford’s tweet, Stevens appeared to have deleted her initial tweet. “There was a miscommunication,” said Reeves Oyster, Stevens’ campaign spokesperson, when reached by MLive by email. Oyster did not elaborate on what prompted that miscommunication when asked. “Our campaign is proud to have the endorsements of Michiganders across the state, including from Former Speaker Joe Tate, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, 40 clergy members from across Detroit, the mayors of Lansing and Grand Rapids, 11 mayors across Metro Detroit, former Gov. Jim Blanchard, and UNITE Here Local 24,” Oyster further stated. Pitchford did not respond immediately to a request for comment from MLive, but he did tell The Detroit News it was the “most strange thing that has ever happened to me in politics.” “I’ve never insinuated I would endorse her,” he told the News. “I take my endorsements very seriously. … I have not endorsed a candidate in the U.S. Senate race, and I am not endorsing Haley Stevens.”