Barack Obama campaigns for Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit. Then a Detroit City Council member questions his grasp of local divides
‘Change is in the air.’
Barack Obama visited Detroit on Saturday, October 26, 2026, to campaign for Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, aiming to bolster support among the city’s critical Black electorate. This rally occurred less than two weeks before Election Day, as the race remained a tight contest between El-Sayed and his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers.
According to NBC News, the former president joined El-Sayed and other downballot Democrats to energize voters in a city where 75% of the population is Black. Obama framed the choice in this election as a clear path toward change. He said, “Change is in the air,” and argued that El-Sayed is fighting to get money out of politics, improve healthcare, and finish the work started by the Affordable Care Act.
Addressing critics who label such goals as radical, Obama asked the crowd what is actually radical about wanting affordable, quality healthcare for every American. He also took time to criticize President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for what he described as broken promises. The former president said, “It’s always good to play back the tape.”
The rally highlights the intense focus on the Black vote
While polls suggest El-Sayed holds a lead with this demographic, the margin of victory remains essential for his success. A recent YouGov survey indicated El-Sayed winning 84% of Black voters, while a Fox News poll from late September showed Rogers at 22%. Despite the high-profile visit, not everyone in the local political scene was convinced by the strategy.
Mary Waters, a member of the Detroit City Council, expressed skepticism regarding Obama’s ability to connect with the local electorate. She noted that she is not yet committed to either candidate and actually leaned more toward Rogers.
Waters argued that Obama may not grasp the complex racial and class divides present in Detroit because he does not live in the city. She suggested that tensions between the Arab American and Black communities in Detroit complicate the political landscape.
However, El-Sayed himself has acknowledged these historical tensions
In an interview with The Root, he noted that past efforts to oppose him during the Democratic primary were intended to break his relationship with the Black community. He admitted that this was not difficult because some Black Detroiters have had negative experiences with business owners from backgrounds similar to his.
The candidate described the frustration of being talked at from behind bulletproof glass or seeing women catcalled in stores. He stated that he tries to be on the right side of these issues, but he understands why such experiences leave a bad impression.
The rally also drew criticism from professional athletes. Fox News reports that Kyle Kuzma, an NBA champion and current Milwaukee Bucks forward, took issue with Obama’s pitch to voters on Saturday. Obama had suggested the possibility of El-Sayed and Sen. Elissa Slotkin serving as a power duo in the Senate, highlighting their religious backgrounds, as El-Sayed is Muslim and Slotkin is Jewish.
Writing on X, Kuzma pushed back on this framing. He suggested that people in Michigan care far more about the cost of living than the religious identity of their representatives.
Kuzma expressed frustration with the focus on religious identity, noting that both Muslims and Jews make up only 1% of the population in the state. He emphasized that 1 in 4 Black people in Michigan live below the poverty line, arguing that the political messaging is missing the mark for those struggling with daily expenses. His sentiments align with findings from a September 30 Fox News poll, which showed that cost of living is a top priority for voters.
El-Sayed has received strong support from many political heavyweights
The candidate continues to lean on his background as an epidemiologist and his time as a health director in Detroit and Wayne County. He has secured support from prominent figures like former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Raphael Warnock, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley.
Obama praised El-Sayed’s background, calling him a jock with deep Michigan roots. The former president also addressed previous criticisms from El-Sayed, who has at times expressed that Obama fell short of delivering change. El-Sayed clarified that he still appreciates the work Obama did, even if he would have handled some things differently.
Republicans were quick to condemn the rally. The Republican Governors Association described the event as proof that the Democratic Party is putting politics over the needs of Michigan families. As the November 3 election approaches, both sides are working hard to secure every possible vote.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who spoke before Obama, characterized the current political climate as a choice between two teams. She argued that the division is no longer about progressive versus moderate, but rather team fight versus team flight. With the race remaining competitive, the influence of these high-profile visits and the reception by local leaders will likely remain a central theme until the final ballots are counted.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
