Obama Backs Democratic Senate Hopeful Abdul El-Sayed at Detroit Rally

Former US President Barack Obama on Saturday endorsed Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Michigan, at a rally in Detroit. The event at Cass Technical High School took place on the first day of early voting in the state, with the general election set for 3 November. It matters because the Michigan seat is one of the more closely contested Senate races in the country.

Obama said El-Sayed was fighting for real change and would finish the job begun with the Affordable Care Act, the health insurance reform passed under Obama. Michigan secretary of state Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for governor, also featured at the rally. It was the first weekend of Obama's in-person midterm campaigning; earlier in the day he had been in Cleveland, Ohio, backing Sherrod Brown and Amy Acton.

Obama sharply criticised President Donald Trump, accusing him of enriching himself and his family, and mocked defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump's tariffs on Canada.

Background

El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health official, won August's primary against moderate congresswoman Haley Stevens, who had the backing of the party establishment and pro-Israel groups. He champions Medicare for All and had once described the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. The two men spoke by phone after the primary.

In Wayne County, which includes Detroit, Stevens beat him by about 51% to 45% in the primary.

The Senate race

Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat in 25 years. El-Sayed's opponent is former congressman Mike Rogers, who is endorsed by Trump. The Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up. A mid-October Marist poll put El-Sayed at 50% and Rogers at 48%, within the margin of error. Trump is due to hold a rally in Port Huron on Sunday.

If elected, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim and first Egyptian American in the US Senate.