Obama targets Detroit voters as El-Sayed seeks to close gap in Wayne County

Barack Obama addressed thousands of supporters at Cass Technical High School in Detroit on Saturday, the first day of early voting in Michigan. He used the appearance to urge voters to back Abdul El-Sayed for the US Senate seat. Obama described El-Sayed as a candidate who would remove money from politics and place it directly into voters' pockets.

The rally marked Obama's first public endorsement of El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health official. The two men have acknowledged their political differences, particularly regarding healthcare. El-Sayed advocates for Medicare for All, while Obama previously championed the Affordable Care Act. Obama told the crowd that El-Sayed would finish the work started with the ACA to ensure affordable coverage for all Americans.

Obama directed specific criticism at President Donald Trump and his administration. He accused Trump of enriching his family and establishing a culture of taking favors at the top. The former president also mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for focusing on the physical appearance of troops. On trade policy, Obama joked that Trump was toughest on Canada, a neighbor that provided Martin Short and maple syrup.

The Detroit stop was part of Obama's first weekend of in-person campaigning for the midterms. Earlier that day, he campaigned in Cleveland, Ohio, for Senate candidate Sherrod Brown and Governor candidate Amy Acton. In both cities, he delivered sharp critiques of the White House renovation projects, comparing the result to a Cheesecake Factory owned by Saddam Hussein.

El-Sayed faces a challenging path to victory in Wayne County, where Detroit is the county seat. In the August primary, moderate candidate Haley Stevens defeated El-Sayed in that specific region by a margin of 51 percent to 45 percent. Obama needs to mobilize voters in this heavily Black district to offset that deficit. El-Sayed currently leads his Republican opponent, former congressman Mike Rogers, by a narrow margin in state-wide polling.

The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up. A Marist poll from mid-October showed El-Sayed at 50 percent and Rogers at 48 percent, a difference within the margin of error. RealClearPolitics data places El-Sayed ahead by approximately 2.6 points. Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat in 25 years, but they view this contest as a strong opportunity to flip the state's upper chamber seat.

Elisa Slotkin, a Democratic senator who served in Michigan, spoke at the rally. She stated that Michigan voters prefer electing fighters and that the party agrees on more issues than they disagree on. Trump has attacked El-Sayed's background, calling him a jihadist and alleging ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, claims El-Sayed denies. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Port Huron on Sunday.

Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic nominee for governor, also spoke at the Detroit event. She faces Republican congressman John James, whose victory would make him the state's first Black governor. Obama closed his remarks by emphasizing the need for a fair shot in society, ensuring the system does not operate solely for the benefit of the wealthy elite.