Obama Rallies in Detroit for El-Sayed

Barack Obama campaigned for Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit on Saturday, marking the former president's first public appearance supporting the Democratic Senate nominee. The rally took place at Cass Technical High School, which coincided with the start of early voting for the general election scheduled for November 3. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for governor, also spoke to the crowd of thousands.

Obama described El-Sayed as a candidate who is fighting for real change that will reduce the influence of money in politics. He stated that El-Sayed would finish the work started with the Affordable Care Act to ensure quality and affordable healthcare for Americans. El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health official, won the Democratic primary in August against Haley Stevens, a moderate congresswoman backed by party establishment figures.

The former president criticized Donald Trump for enriching his family and creating a culture of taking favors at the top of the administration. Obama asked the audience to consider how much time Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spends in front of a mirror, referencing the official's focus on military aesthetics. He also mocked Trump's tariffs on Canada, referring to the nation across the border as a well-known evil empire that gave the United States Martin Short and maple syrup.

Obama addressed his own White House renovations, including the ballroom and Rose Garden projects, by suggesting Trump should appear on HGTV. He compared the White House to a space where Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. This Detroit stop was part of Obama's first weekend of in-person midterm campaigning, which began earlier in the day in Cleveland, Ohio, where he supported Sherrod Brown and Amy Acton.

Questions remained about whether Obama would endorse El-Sayed, a Medicare for All supporter who previously called the Affordable Care Act an incremental fix. The two men spoke by phone after the primary, and El-Sayed has described Obama as a mentor. Obama acknowledged that El-Sayed did not like some of his actions as president but noted that they are not going to agree on every detail. He referenced Michelle Obama as another person who does not agree with everything he does.

El-Sayed faces a challenge in Wayne County, where the August primary saw Stevens beat him by a margin of 51% to 45%. Obama last campaigned in Detroit in October 2024 for Kamala Harris. The city is more than three-quarters Black. Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat in 25 years, but they view the race as a strong opportunity for a pickup. El-Sayed is running against Mike Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump who lost to Elissa Slotkin in 2024 by less than half a percentage point.

Polls show the race is close. A Marist poll of likely voters in mid-October placed El-Sayed at 50% and Rogers at 48%, within the margin of error. RealClearPolitics averages show El-Sayed leading by about 2.6 points. Slotkin, who spoke at the rally, told the crowd that Michigan believes in electing fighters and that they are putting a check and balance on Donald Trump in the White House. Trump is scheduled to visit Port Huron on Sunday for a rally with state Republicans. If elected, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim and first Egyptian American in the US Senate.

Obama closed his remarks by emphasizing values of making sure everybody gets a fair shot in society. He argued that the system should not just be run for those at the top. Trump has attacked El-Sayed during the campaign, calling him a jihadist and alleging ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which El-Sayed denies. El-Sayed has also faced criticism from his own party for appearances with Hasan Piker. Benson is running against John James, whose victory would make him Michigan's first Black governor.