Obama to rally with El-Sayed in Detroit on 24 October

Former President Barack Obama will campaign with Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed at a rally in Detroit on 24 October, the Michigan Democratic Party announced. The event will also feature Jocelyn Benson, the party's nominee for governor, and other state Democrats. The rally falls on the first day of Michigan's in-person early voting period and 10 days before election day.jpost.com+1

The appearance is a significant show of establishment support for El-Sayed, a progressive who survived tens of millions of dollars in out-of-state advertising to win the August primary. Michigan's open Senate seat, vacated by retiring Democrat Gary Peters, is one of a handful of contests that will decide which party controls the Senate. Polls show El-Sayed in a tight race against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers.inquirer.com

Why the appearance matters to Michigan Democrats

El-Sayed announced the appearance himself on social media on 5 October. "It is my honor and privilege to announce that President @BarackObama is joining us on the trail in Detroit on Saturday, October 24," El-Sayed wrote, adding, "Get. Ready." The accompanying campaign graphic features Obama, El-Sayed, and Benson, but the post does not specify a venue or event time.

Obama's visit comes as El-Sayed works to repair divisions among Michigan Democrats after narrowly winning the nomination over the more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens. Some Jewish Democrats have been wary of El-Sayed's positions on Israel. In September, 17 Jewish Democratic elected officials, party leaders and activists joined the Nonnegotiable Michigan campaign, urging El-Sayed to affirm commitments concerning Jewish identity, safety, and Israeli statehood.

El-Sayed defeated Stevens by less than a percentage point in an August primary that became a national test of the party's ideological direction. Stevens and her allies outspent El-Sayed's side nearly nine to one on advertising, according to AdImpact, and AIPAC and its allies spent a record-breaking $30 million trying to stop him. Stevens was backed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

How close the primary was

Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, with about 51% of the Democratic primary vote to El-Sayed's 45%. Detroit's population is more than three-quarters Black, and Obama remains highly popular there. Some ads backing Stevens used old footage of Obama praising her, which critics called misleading because he had not endorsed in the race. Obama phoned El-Sayed after the primary victory.

A Marist poll of registered voters from late September had El-Sayed ahead of Rogers, 51% to 44%. Rogers was the Republican nominee in 2024 and lost to Elissa Slotkin, despite Donald Trump winning the state. El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health director, ran on Medicare for All and a refusal to take corporate Political Action Committee money, backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

More than 600 Michigan Jews signed an open letter pledging to vote for El-Sayed, including former US representatives Sander and Andy Levin and Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus chair Decky Alexander. Sander Levin endorsed El-Sayed despite disagreements over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and El-Sayed's lack of support for a two-state solution, highlighting their agreement on healthcare, housing, labor and climate policy.

What happens before election day

El-Sayed also campaigned over the weekend with Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who is Jewish, as part of his efforts to foster party unity. Kamala Harris campaigned with El-Sayed last month. Obama taped about two dozen advertisements for Democratic candidates for governor and Senate last week, to be released in coming days and weeks, and further campaign stops are to be announced.

Obama will also headline a Washington fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee this week, his first with the group this cycle. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters on a press call on 4 October that Obama was part of the party's "all-hands-on-deck effort" to flip the House next month.