Obama rallies in Detroit to flip Wayne County for El-Sayed

Barack Obama stood before a crowd at Cass Technical High School in Detroit on Saturday, declaring that Abdul El-Sayed would reverse the party’s losses in Wayne County. The rally coincided with the start of early voting in Michigan, a state heading to the polls on November 3. Obama, who had stayed out of the August primary, told the audience that El-Sayed was fighting to get money out of politics and into voters' pockets.

The former president framed the race as a battle against a White House that trades favors. He accused Donald Trump of enriching his family and establishing a culture of taking payments for access. Obama joked that Trump should appear on a home renovation show, comparing the White House ballroom and Rose Garden projects to a restaurant opened by a dictator. He also mocked defense secretary Pete Hegseth for focusing on the physical appearance of troops rather than their readiness.

El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health official, won a contentious primary in August by defeating Haley Stevens. Stevens, a moderate congresswoman, had the support of the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel groups. Obama acknowledged the tension between the two men, noting that El-Sayed had previously described the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. The former president said he and El-Sayed do not agree on every detail, comparing their differences to the disagreements between himself and his wife, Michelle.

The math in the race is difficult for the Democratic side. Stevens won Wayne County by a margin of roughly 51 percent to 45 percent in the primary. Detroit, the county seat, is more than three-quarters Black, and Obama last campaigned there in October 2024 for Kamala Harris. The current Senate race pits El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman who lost to Elissa Slotkin by less than half a percentage point in 2024.

Polling data shows a tight contest. A Marist poll of likely voters in mid-October found El-Sayed at 50 percent and Rogers at 48 percent, within the margin of error. The RealClearPolitics average showed El-Sayed ahead by about 2.6 points during the same period. The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up. Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat for 25 years, but they view this race as a strong opportunity to take back the chamber.

Elissa Slotkin, the current senator, joined Obama on stage. She told the crowd that Michigan believes in electing fighters and that the party is putting a check on the executive branch. She noted that while she and El-Sayed have disagreements, they agree on more issues. Trump has attacked El-Sayed throughout the campaign, calling him a jihadist based on his middle name and alleging ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed denies those ties and has also faced criticism from his own party for appearing with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker.

The weekend marked the first in-person campaigning for Obama during this midterm cycle. He began in Cleveland, Ohio, earlier in the day, where he supported former senator Sherrod Brown and governor nominee Amy Acton. The former president delivered similar criticisms of the White House and the Republican Party in both cities.

Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Port Huron on Sunday. The city on the Canadian border will host the president for the first time. If El-Sayed wins the election, he will become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American to serve in the United States Senate. His Democratic ticket-mate for governor, Jocelyn Benson, faces John James. A victory for James would make him the state's first Black governor.