Haley Stevens

Haley Stevens
Official portrait, 2019
Haley Stevens
Born	Haley Maria Stevens 24 06, 1983
Birthplace	Rochester Hills, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative from Michigan's 11th congressional district
Education	American University (BA, MA)
Website	[[stevens.house.gov stevens.house.gov] Official site]

Haley Maria Stevens (born June 24, 1983) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 11th congressional district since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Stevens represents much of urbanized Oakland County, encompassing many of Detroit's northern suburbs. Before entering electoral politics, she served in the Obama administration as chief of staff of the Presidential Task Force on the Automobile Industry, working on the federal government's restructuring of the American auto industry during the Great Recession. First elected to Congress in 2018 as part of a Democratic wave that flipped several suburban districts, Stevens has focused on manufacturing, advanced technology, and economic policy during her time in office. She announced her candidacy for the United States Senate in the 2026 Michigan Senate election.

Early Life

Haley Maria Stevens was born on June 24, 1983, in Rochester Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit in Oakland County. She grew up in the metropolitan Detroit area, a region historically shaped by the American automobile industry. Stevens's upbringing in southeastern Michigan provided a formative connection to the manufacturing sector and the communities dependent on it — experiences that would later inform her political career and policy interests.

Rochester Hills, located in northern Oakland County, is one of the larger suburbs in the Detroit metropolitan area and has a mixed economy with ties to the automotive supply chain, technology firms, and small businesses. Stevens's early life in this setting grounded her in the concerns of suburban Michigan communities, including economic stability, education, and infrastructure.

Education

Stevens attended American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree. Her time at American University placed her in the nation's capital, providing exposure to the workings of the federal government and public policy. The combination of undergraduate and graduate study at the same institution reflects a focused academic trajectory in the social sciences and public affairs, which prepared her for subsequent work in government and politics.

Career

Obama Administration and the Auto Industry Task Force

Before running for elected office, Stevens served in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was appointed chief of staff of the Presidential Task Force on the Automobile Industry, a body created in 2009 to oversee the federal government's response to the financial crises facing General Motors and Chrysler during the Great Recession. The task force managed the structured bankruptcies and subsequent bailouts of the two automakers, a process that was credited with saving tens of thousands of jobs in Michigan and across the American Midwest.

Stevens's role on the task force gave her direct experience with industrial policy, labor negotiations, and the intersection of government and the private sector. Her work during this period became a central element of her political identity and was frequently cited during her later congressional campaigns as evidence of her commitment to Michigan's manufacturing economy.

2018 Congressional Campaign

In April 2017, Stevens announced her intention to run for Congress in Michigan's 11th congressional district, which at the time was held by Republican Dave Trott. Trott subsequently announced that he would not seek re-election, creating an open-seat race. The 11th district, located primarily in Oakland County and parts of Wayne County, had historically leaned Republican but was considered a competitive battleground district amid shifting suburban voter preferences during the Trump presidency.

Stevens competed in a contested Democratic primary for the seat. She advanced to the general election, where she faced Republican nominee Lena Epstein, a businesswoman and Trump supporter. The race attracted national attention as one of several suburban congressional contests that could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Stevens defeated Epstein in the November 2018 general election, part of a broader Democratic wave that saw the party gain 40 seats and take the House majority. Her victory was part of a significant political realignment in Oakland County, which had long been a Republican stronghold in Michigan. In the 2018 election cycle, Democrats won several key races across the county, marking a shift that analysts attributed to suburban voters' dissatisfaction with the Trump administration.

U.S. House of Representatives

Stevens was sworn in as a member of the 116th United States Congress on January 3, 2019. The Washington Post profiled her as one of the leaders of the large incoming Democratic class of 2018, highlighting the challenges she and her colleagues faced in transitioning from campaigning to governing during a period of intense partisan division.

Throughout her tenure in Congress, Stevens has focused on issues related to manufacturing, science and technology, and the economic well-being of her suburban constituents. Representing a district with deep ties to the automotive sector, she has advocated for policies supporting advanced manufacturing, workforce development, and the competitiveness of American industry.

Stevens has been re-elected multiple times since her initial 2018 victory, maintaining her hold on the 11th district through subsequent election cycles. Following redistricting after the 2020 census, the boundaries of the 11th district were redrawn, but Stevens successfully ran in the reconfigured district, which continued to encompass much of Oakland County.

Manufacturing and Technology Policy

A recurring focus of Stevens's congressional work has been the promotion of domestic manufacturing and semiconductor production. In February 2026, she visited Hemlock Semiconductor in Hemlock, Michigan, to tour a newly operational Corning Wafer Facility, emphasizing the importance of domestic semiconductor manufacturing to national security and economic competitiveness. Such visits reflect her ongoing engagement with the technology and manufacturing sectors in Michigan.

Immigration and Oversight Activities

In February 2026, Stevens and fellow Michigan Congresswoman Hillary Scholten conducted an oversight visit to the North Lake Processing Center, an ICE detention facility in Baldwin, Michigan, described as the largest ICE detention center in the Midwest. The visit was prompted in part by the death of detainee Nenko Gantchev, who died in ICE custody in December 2025 under circumstances that remained unclear.

Following the visit, Stevens and Scholten released statements calling for greater accountability and transparency at the facility, raising concerns about detainee conditions and the adequacy of oversight mechanisms. The Michigan Advance reported that the congresswomen received no clear answers from facility officials regarding the circumstances of Gantchev's death during their tour.

Trade and Tariff Policy

Stevens has been vocal on trade issues, particularly as they affect Michigan's manufacturing sector. In February 2026, she released a statement in response to a Supreme Court ruling on tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, criticizing the tariffs as harmful to Michigan businesses and workers. Her position on trade has generally emphasized the need to protect domestic manufacturing while maintaining competitive international relationships.

2026 U.S. Senate Campaign

In 2026, Stevens announced her candidacy for the United States Senate seat being vacated in Michigan. In an interview with WDET, she discussed her motivations for seeking the Senate seat and her vision for representing the state at the federal level. The Senate race represents a significant step in Stevens's political career, as Michigan is a closely contested swing state with statewide elections often decided by narrow margins.

Stevens's Senate candidacy builds on her House record and her background in manufacturing and economic policy, areas of particular salience in a state where the automotive industry and its supply chain remain central to the economy.

Personal Life

Stevens resides in the Oakland County area of Michigan. In June 2020, her boyfriend proposed to her at Orchard Lake, an event reported by the Detroit Free Press. Stevens has maintained a relatively private personal life while in public office, with her public statements and appearances focused primarily on policy and constituent service.

Electoral History

Stevens first won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, defeating Republican Lena Epstein in the general election for Michigan's 11th congressional district. Her victory was part of a broader Democratic sweep in Oakland County that reshaped the county's political landscape after decades of Republican dominance. She has been re-elected in subsequent cycles, solidifying her position as the representative for the district.

Her 2018 campaign was noted for its emphasis on her experience with the auto industry task force and her focus on healthcare, economic development, and suburban quality-of-life issues. The open-seat nature of the race — following Trott's retirement — and the competitive dynamics of the suburban district drew significant national party investment and media coverage.

Political Positions

Stevens's political positions have generally aligned with the mainstream of the Democratic Party. Her legislative work has centered on manufacturing and industrial policy, reflecting the economic profile of her district and her pre-congressional career. She has supported investments in domestic semiconductor production, workforce training programs, and policies aimed at strengthening the American supply chain.

On immigration, Stevens has advocated for oversight of federal detention facilities and accountability in the treatment of detainees, as demonstrated by her 2026 visit to the North Lake Processing Center. On trade, she has criticized tariff policies that she argues negatively impact Michigan manufacturers and consumers.