Obama enters Michigan Senate race with Detroit endorsement

Barack Obama stood before a crowd of thousands at Cass Technical High School on Saturday to endorse Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the US Senate in Michigan. The rally marked the first public instance of the former president supporting El-Sayed, a move that arrives with the general election on November 3. The event coincided with the opening day of early voting in the state.

The campaign enters the final stretch with El-Sayed holding a narrow statistical advantage. A mid-October Marist poll of likely voters placed El-Sayed at 50 percent and Republican candidate Mike Rogers at 48 percent. That margin falls within the error range. RealClearPolitics data from a similar period shows El-Sayed leading by approximately 2.6 points. The Cook Political Report classifies the contest as a toss-up.

Obama focused his remarks on the contrast between his administration and the current one. He accused Donald Trump of enriching his family and establishing a culture of taking favors at the top of government. The former president specifically targeted defense secretary Pete Hegseth, who he described as laser-focused on the physical appearance of military personnel. He asked the audience how much time Hegseth spends in front of a mirror.

Economic policy formed the second pillar of the speech. Obama argued that El-Sayed fights for changes that will remove money from politics and place it in voters' pockets. He cited the Affordable Care Act as a foundation that El-Sayed would build upon to guarantee quality and affordable healthcare. Obama also critiqued Trump's tariff strategy, noting the president was toughest on Canada, a neighbor just across the bridge from Detroit. He referred to Canada as a well-known evil empire that provided the country with Martin Short and maple syrup.

The endorsement resolves a period of uncertainty regarding the relationship between the two Democrats. El-Sayed, a physician and former Wayne county health official, defeated moderate congresswoman Haley Stevens in a contentious primary in August. During that race, Obama remained on the sidelines. The two have since discussed their differences, including El-Sayed's view of the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. Obama acknowledged that El-Sayed did not like all of his actions as president, but stated they share a commitment to giving everyone a fair shot in society.

The Detroit stop was the second leg of Obama's first weekend of in-person midterm campaigning. He began the day in Cleveland, Ohio, where he supported former senator Sherrod Brown and governor nominee Amy Acton. In Detroit, Obama joined secretary of state Jocelyn Benson, the party's candidate for governor. Senator Elissa Slotkin also spoke, telling the crowd that Michigan believes in electing fighters. She noted that while she and El-Sayed may disagree on details, they agree on the importance of checking the power of the White House.

The political stakes in Michigan are high for both parties. Republicans have not held a US Senate seat in the state for 25 years, yet they view this race as a strong opportunity for a pickup. El-Sayed faces Mike Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump. Rogers lost a 2024 Senate race against Slotkin by less than half a percentage point. El-Sayed has the most ground to make up in Wayne county, where Detroit is the county seat. In the August primary, Stevens won that area by about 51 percent to 45 percent.

The race has drawn sharp attacks from both sides. Trump has called El-Sayed a jihadist, pointing to his middle name and alleging ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which El-Sayed denies. The former president is scheduled to visit Michigan on Sunday for a rally in Port Huron. That event will be the first presidential visit to St. Clair county. If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American to serve in the US Senate.