Obama Hypes El-Sayed Bid With Health Care Pledge

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit on Saturday. The rally took place at Cass Technical High School on the first day of early voting in Michigan. Thousands of supporters attended the event ahead of the general election on November 3.

Obama stated that El-Sayed is fighting for change that will move money out of politics and into voters' pockets. He described the candidate as someone who would finish the work started with the Affordable Care Act. Obama promised that El-Sayed would guarantee quality and affordable healthcare for every American.

This appearance marked Obama's first public show of support for El-Sayed. The candidate, a doctor and former Wayne County health official, won a contentious primary in August. He defeated Haley Stevens, a moderate congresswoman supported by the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel groups. Obama had remained on the sidelines during that primary race.

The former president criticized Donald Trump for enriching his family. Obama said the administration had created a culture at the top focused on taking favors. He asked the crowd how much time Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spends in front of a mirror. He noted that Hegseth is laser-focused on the jawline and testosterone levels of troops.

Obama also addressed tariffs, noting that Trump is toughest on Canada. He referred to the country as the well-known evil empire just across the bridge from Detroit. He joked that the people in Canada gave the U.S. Martin Short and maple syrup. Obama mocked Trump's White House renovations, including the ballroom and Rose Garden projects. He suggested Trump should be on HGTV because the White House looks like a Cheesecake Factory.

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 supported Sherrod Brown and Amy Acton. He delivered similar criticisms of the White House and the Republican Party during that earlier appearance.

Tensions existed before this endorsement because El-Sayed supports Medicare for All. He previously described the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. The two men spoke by phone after the primary. El-Sayed has described Obama as a mentor figure. Obama acknowledged their differences by saying El-Sayed did not like some things he did as president.

El-Sayed faces a challenge in Wayne County, where Detroit is the county seat. Stevens beat El-Sayed there by about 51 percent to 45 percent in the August primary. Obama last campaigned in Detroit in October 2024 for Kamala Harris. Harris appeared with El-Sayed in the city last month. The city is more than three-quarters Black.

Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat in 25 years. They view this race as a strong opportunity. El-Sayed is running against Mike Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump. Rogers lost a 2024 Senate race against Elissa Slotkin by less than half a percentage point. The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up. A mid-October Marist poll showed El-Sayed at 50 percent and Rogers at 48 percent. RealClearPolitics data showed El-Sayed ahead by about 2.6 points.

Slotkin, a featured speaker at the rally, told the crowd that Michigan believes in electing fighters. She said she and El-Sayed agree on much more than they disagree on. She added that they are putting a check and balance on Trump in the White House. Trump has called El-Sayed a jihadist and alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which El-Sayed denies. El-Sayed has also faced criticism for appearances with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker.