Obama backs Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan Senate race, Trump criticizes rally turnout

Support in Detroit

Former US President Barack Obama on Saturday endorsed Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at a rally at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, where, according to Anadolu, more than 4,300 supporters had gathered more than 4,300 supporters. El-Sayed is competing against Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan's Senate seat in what is a closely contested race ahead of the midterm elections on November 3.

Response to attacks and campaign themes

Obama defended El-Sayed against Republican attacks questioning his religious affiliation and alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, drawing a parallel to the false claims about his own identity made during the 2007 and 2011 campaigns: 'We have seen this movie before. I played the leading role in it'. According to him, these tactics did not work against him and will not work against El-Sayed in Michigan. El-Sayed rejects the accusations, and, as Anadolu notes, no credible evidence of such ties has emerged. Obama also praised the candidate's proposals to reduce the influence of money in politics and expand access to affordable healthcare, saying that El-Sayed would 'finish what we started' with the Affordable Care Act of 2010, and stated that El-Sayed is fighting for 'real change' that would put an end to the US conflict with Iran.

Trump's reaction

Later that day, at a Republican rally in Perry, Georgia, Donald Trump mocked Obama's appearance and claimed that the Detroit event had drawn 'almost nobody': 'I saw that Barack Hussein Obama was in Michigan, and the place was empty' — despite reports of thousands of attendees. In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized Obama's history of supporting losing Democratic candidates, citing Hillary Clinton's defeat in 2016 and Kamala Harris's loss in 2024. That same day, Obama also campaigned for gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson, the rival of Republican Congressman John James, and called the midterm elections a chance to hold the Trump administration more accountable: 'We need to flip that switch and bring accountability to this government.' According to Anadolu, Trump plans to appear in Michigan on Sunday in support of Republican candidates.

Significance

The Michigan Senate race remains, according to Anadolu's assessment, 'a contest on equal footing', which is why the visits of both former presidents underscore its importance for control of the chamber. For voters, the practical stakes of the campaign are defined by the very issues raised: the fate of affordable healthcare, the influence of money in politics, and the course on Iran. So far, only statements from the two sides have been confirmed — including mutual accusations and a turnout assessment that diverges from reports of thousands of attendees — and the outcome of the November 3 election will determine which side receives a mandate on these directions.