India, Nov. 3 -- Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens has pushed back against backlash surrounding her surprise endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race, insisting that the decision was entirely her own.

Stevens issued the response after some critics suggested that her fiance, Jason Turkish, may have influenced her political stance. The controversy emerged following Turkish's comments to The Detroit News on Wednesday, when he expressed support for Rogers and criticised Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed's remarks concerning Israel.

Days later, Stevens publicly endorsed Rogers on the Sunday before Election Day. The endorsement came after she attended a church service in Detroit alongside the Republican candidate...