Obama Praises ACA at El-Sayed Detroit Rally

Barack Obama endorsed Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit on Saturday, the opening day of early voting in Michigan. The rally took place at Cass Technical High School ahead of the November 3 general election. El-Sayed, a physician and former Wayne county health official, is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat.

Obama told the crowd that El-Sayed would finish the work begun by the Affordable Care Act. He promised to guarantee quality and affordable healthcare for every American. This marked the former president's first public appearance for the candidate since a contentious August primary. El-Sayed defeated Haley Stevens, a moderate congresswoman supported by the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel groups.

The former president directed sharp criticism at President Donald Trump. He accused the administration of enriching the president's family and setting a culture of taking favors. Obama also mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, questioning how much time the official spends looking at his own reflection. On trade policy, Obama noted that Trump was harshest on Canada, a neighbor across the bridge from Detroit.

Tensions existed between the two men before the endorsement. El-Sayed is a supporter of Medicare for All and previously called the Affordable Care Act an incremental fix. Obama acknowledged these differences on stage. He stated that they would not agree on every detail of every issue. El-Sayed has since described Obama as a mentor figure.

El-Sayed faces a tight race in Wayne county, where Detroit serves as the county seat. In the August primaries, Stevens won that district with 51% of the vote to El-Sayed's 45%. A Marist poll of likely voters in mid-October showed El-Sayed at 50% and Republican challenger Mike Rogers at 48%. RealClearPolitics data places El-Sayed ahead by approximately 2.6 points. The Cook Political Report rates the contest as a toss-up.

Republicans have not held a Michigan Senate seat for 25 years. Mike Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump, is seeking to capture the seat. Trump is scheduled to rally in Port Huron on Sunday. That event will be the first presidential visit to St. Clair county in the current cycle.

Senator Elissa Slotkin spoke at the Detroit rally, calling the state a place that elects fighters. She emphasized the need for checks and balances in the White House. If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim and first Egyptian American to serve in the U.S. Senate.