Obama rallies in Detroit to close El-Sayed's gap in Wayne County

Barack Obama campaigned in Detroit on Saturday to help Abdul El-Sayed overcome a deficit in Wayne County. The rally took place at Cass Technical High School, coinciding with the start of early voting in Michigan. The state holds its general election on November 3.

The former president told a crowd of thousands that El-Sayed is working to remove money from politics and put it into voters' pockets. This marked Obama's first public appearance in support of the Democratic Senate nominee. El-Sayed is a doctor and former Wayne County health official who won a contentious primary in August. He defeated Haley Stevens, a moderate congresswoman supported by the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel groups.

Obama used the event to criticize Donald Trump. He accused the former president of enriching himself and his family. Obama described a culture at the top where favors are bought and sold. He also mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for focusing on the physical attributes of troops rather than their readiness.

The former president also targeted Trump's trade policies. He noted that Trump has been hardest on Canada, a neighbor just across the bridge from Detroit. Obama joked about Trump's renovations to the White House, comparing the changes to a reality television show.

Questions remained about the alignment between Obama and El-Sayed. The Senate nominee has long supported Medicare for All and previously called the Affordable Care Act an incremental fix. Obama acknowledged their differences during the speech. He said they do not agree on every detail, a sentiment he attributed to Michelle Obama as well.

El-Sayed faces a difficult path in Wayne County, the seat of Detroit. In the August primary, Stevens defeated him in that district by a margin of 51 percent to 45 percent. Detroit is more than three-quarters Black. Obama last campaigned in the city in October 2024 for Kamala Harris. Harris joined El-Sayed in Detroit last month.

The race for the Michigan Senate seat is currently tight. Republicans have not held the position for 25 years, but they view it as a strong opportunity. El-Sayed is running against Mike Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump. Rogers lost a Senate race in 2024 by less than half a percentage point. The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up. A mid-October Marist poll shows El-Sayed at 50 percent and Rogers at 48 percent. RealClearPolitics averages show El-Sayed ahead by about 2.6 points.

Elissa Slotkin, a former Democrat who lost the 2024 race, spoke at the Detroit event. She said Michigan voters prefer candidates who fight. She noted that she and El-Sayed agree on more than they disagree on. Trump is scheduled to visit Michigan on Sunday for a rally in Port Huron. If he wins the election, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American in the US Senate.