Obama Vows to Turn Around Wayne County Deficit

Barack Obama addressed thousands of supporters at Cass Technical High School in Detroit on Saturday to formally back Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race. The event coincided with the opening of early voting ahead of the November 3 general election. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic nominee for governor, also spoke to the crowd.

Obama focused his remarks on the political deficit in Wayne County, where Detroit serves as the county seat. In the August primary, El-Sayed trailed former congresswoman Haley Stevens by roughly six points in that region. Stevens won the county with approximately 51 percent of the vote to El-Sayed’s 45 percent. The former president framed his endorsement as a necessary step to reverse that local loss.

The appearance marked Obama’s first public show of support for El-Sayed, a physician and former Wayne County health official. El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination in a contentious primary where Obama remained neutral. He defeated Stevens, who held the backing of the party establishment and pro-Israel groups. El-Sayed has since called Obama a mentor following phone conversations they held after the primary.

Obama acknowledged their past disagreements, noting that El-Sayed did not always agree with his presidential record. He cited El-Sayed’s previous characterization of the Affordable Care Act as an incremental fix. Obama stated that they would not agree on every detail of every issue, comparing their relationship to the dynamic between him and Michelle Obama.

The former president also launched attacks on President Donald Trump. Obama accused the administration of enriching Trump’s family and creating a culture of taking favors. He mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for focusing on the physical attributes of troops. Regarding trade policy, Obama said Trump was harshest on Canada, referring to it as a well-known evil empire that provided Martin Short and maple syrup.

In the broader context of the midterm elections, Obama spent earlier parts of the day in Cleveland, Ohio, campaigning for former senator Sherrod Brown and governor nominee Amy Acton. This Detroit stop was part of his first weekend of in-person campaigning. He also criticized Trump’s renovations of the White House, suggesting the changes resembled a Cheesecake Factory.

The race is currently tight. The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up. A Marist poll from mid-October shows El-Sayed at 50 percent and his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, at 48 percent. RealClearPolitics averages show El-Sayed leading by about 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.

Slotkin, who is the current Democratic senator, spoke at the rally. She told the audience that Michigan elects fighters and that she and El-Sayed agree on more than they disagree. She stated that their goal is to place a check and balance on the current administration. Trump plans to visit Port Huron on Sunday for a rally with state Republicans.

If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American to serve in the US Senate. Benson, his running mate for the statewide ticket, faces John James, a Republican congressman. A James victory would make him Michigan’s first Black governor. Obama closed his speech by emphasizing the value of a fair shot for everyone in society.