Obama joins Michigan race with rally in Detroit

Barack Obama campaigned for Abdul El-Sayed at Cass Technical High School in Detroit on Saturday. The event marked the former president’s first public endorsement of the Democratic Senate nominee. He spoke to a large crowd on the first day of early voting in Michigan. The general election is scheduled for November 3.

Obama accused Donald Trump of enriching his family and establishing a culture of taking favors at the top of government. He asked the audience how much time Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spends in front of a mirror. Obama also joked that Trump should appear on a home renovation television show because of the White House ballroom project.

The former president addressed his relationship with El-Sayed directly. He acknowledged that the candidate did not agree with all of his presidential decisions. Obama said they would not agree on every detail of every issue. He noted that his wife, Michelle Obama, also disagrees with some of his actions.

El-Sayed has a narrow lead in the state. A Marist poll from mid-October showed him at 50 percent and Republican challenger Mike Rogers at 48 percent. That margin is within the margin of error. RealClearPolitics data from the same period showed El-Sayed ahead by 2.6 points. The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up.

The race is competitive in Wayne County. Stevens won that county in the August primary with 51 percent of the vote. El-Sayed received 45 percent. Detroit serves as the county seat. Obama campaigned in Detroit in October 2024 for Kamala Harris. El-Sayed is a doctor and former Wayne County health official.

Trump has called El-Sayed a jihadist during the campaign. He referenced the candidate's middle name and alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed denies those connections. Trump is scheduled to visit Port Huron on Sunday. That will be the first presidential visit to St. Clair County.

Slotkin, the current Democratic senator, also spoke at the rally. She told the crowd that Michigan believes in electing fighters. She said she and El-Sayed agree on more than they disagree on. She stated they are putting a check and balance on Trump in the White House.

Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for governor, appeared at the event. She faces Republican John James in the general election. A victory for James would make him Michigan's first Black governor. If El-Sayed wins, he would be the first Muslim and first Egyptian American in the US Senate.

Obama’s Detroit stop was part of his first weekend of in-person campaigning during the midterms. He began the day in Cleveland, Ohio. He campaigned for former senator Sherrod Brown and Democratic governor nominee Amy Acton there. He made similar remarks about the White House in Ohio.

Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat for 25 years. They view this race as a strong opportunity for a pickup. Rogers lost a 2024 Senate race against Slotkin by less than half a percentage point. Obama told the crowd that El-Sayed would finish the job started with the Affordable Care Act. He said the goal is to guarantee affordable healthcare for every American.