Michigan Senate Race: Obama enters contest to defend El-Sayed

Barack Obama endorsed Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit on Saturday, marking his first public appearance for the Democratic Senate nominee. The rally took place at Cass Technical High School on the first day of early voting for the November 3 general election. Thousands attended the event, which also featured Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for governor.

El-Sayed leads Mike Rogers by 2.6 points in the RealClearPolitics average, a margin within the polling error range. A Marist poll from mid-October places El-Sayed at 50% and Rogers at 48% among likely voters. The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up. Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat in 25 years, but they view this contest as a key opportunity for a pickup.

The campaign has been contentious in Wayne County, where Detroit is the county seat. In the August primary, moderate congresswoman Haley Stevens defeated El-Sayed in that district by 51% to 45%. El-Sayed now faces a substantial deficit in that region. He defeated Stevens despite her backing from the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel organizations. Obama remained on the sidelines during that primary but now supports El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health official.

Obama addressed the policy gap between the two men directly. El-Sayed, a champion of Medicare for All, previously described the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. Obama acknowledged that El-Sayed did not like all of his presidential decisions. He told the crowd that the two men do not agree on every detail of every issue. Obama joked that even his wife, Michelle Obama, does not agree with everything he does.

The former president delivered a sharp critique of President Donald Trump. Obama accused Trump of enriching himself and his family and said the administration has created a culture of taking favors at the top. He stated that he had never seen a president so intent on selling favors. Obama also mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, describing him as laser-focused on the jawline and testosterone levels of troops. He asked the audience to consider how much time Hegseth spends in front of a mirror.

Obama targeted Trump’s economic policies, specifically tariffs. He noted that Trump was toughest on Canada, which is located just across the bridge from Detroit. Obama referred to Canada as a well-known evil empire that gave the United States Martin Short and maple syrup. He also ridiculed Trump’s White House renovations, including the ballroom and Rose Garden projects. Obama suggested Trump should be on HGTV and compared the White House to a Cheesecake Factory opened by Saddam Hussein.

The Detroit stop was part of Obama’s first weekend of in-person campaigning for the midterms. He began the day in Cleveland, Ohio, where he campaigned for former senator Sherrod Brown and Democratic governor nominee Amy Acton. He delivered similar criticisms of the White House and the Republican Party during that appearance. Elissa Slotkin, a featured speaker in Detroit, told the crowd that Michigan believes in electing fighters. She said that any disagreements she has with El-Sayed are outweighed by their shared goals. She described their joint effort as placing a check and balance on the White House.

Trump has attacked El-Sayed during the campaign, calling him a jihadist and alleging ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed strongly denies those ties. He has also faced criticism from the establishment wing of the Democratic Party for appearing with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. Trump is scheduled to visit Port Huron on Sunday for a rally with state Republicans. The city announced that this will be the first presidential visit to St. Clair County. If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American in the US Senate. Benson faces Republican congressman John James, whose victory would make him Michigan’s first Black governor. Obama closed his speech by stating that the two parties share the value of ensuring everybody gets a fair shot in society, rather than having the system run only for those at the top.