Obama Targets Wayne County Gap in Detroit Rally as Early Voting Begins

Barack Obama addressed thousands of supporters at Cass Technical High School in Detroit on Saturday, marking the first day of early voting in Michigan. The former president delivered a forceful endorsement of Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate, during a rally that also featured Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The event took place on the first day of early voting ahead of the general election scheduled for November 3.

El-Sayed faces a steep challenge in Wayne County, the region where Detroit is the county seat. In the August primary, moderate challenger Haley Stevens defeated El-Sayed in that specific county by a margin of approximately 51% to 45%. Obama stated that the former congresswoman had the backing of the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel organizations. The former president’s appearance was his first public show of support for El-Sayed, a doctor and former Wayne County health official who emerged from that contested primary.

During his speech, Obama accused Donald Trump of enriching himself and his family while creating a culture of taking favors at the top of the administration. He criticized the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, for focusing on the jawline and testosterone levels of troops. Obama also mocked the White House renovations, comparing the aesthetic to a Cheesecake Factory opened by Saddam Hussein. He specifically targeted tariffs imposed on Canada, noting the country is just across the bridge from Detroit.

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 former senator Sherrod Brown and Democratic governor nominee Amy Acton. El-Sayed, a proponent of Medicare for All, had previously described the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. Obama acknowledged their past disagreements, noting that El-Sayed did not like everything he did as president, but emphasized their shared commitment to a fair society.

Current polling data shows the race remains tight. A Marist poll of likely voters conducted in mid-October placed El-Sayed at 50% and Republican challenger Mike Rogers at 48%, within the margin of error. RealClearPolitics’ average indicates El-Sayed leads by approximately 2.6 points. Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump, lost a 2024 Senate race to Elissa Slotkin by less than half a percentage point. The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up.

Slotkin, who spoke at the rally, told the crowd that Michigan elects fighters and that she and El-Sayed agree on more than they disagree. She described their goal as putting a check and balance on the current administration. Trump is scheduled to visit Michigan on Sunday for a rally in Port Huron, the first presidential visit to St. Clair County. If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American in the US Senate.