Barack Obama Rallies Michigan Crowd for El-Sayed, Saying He's 'Fighting for Real Change'

Former President Barack Obama traveled to Detroit, Michigan, on Saturday to rally support for Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate running for a U.S. Senate seat. Obama spoke to thousands of cheering supporters at Cass Technical High School. His visit came on the very first day that Michigan voters could cast early ballots. El-Sayed is a doctor and former health official who hopes to make history as the first Muslim and first Egyptian American ever elected to the U.S. Senate.

Obama told the crowd that El-Sayed was fighting for 'real change' that would help working people and get money out of politics. He said El-Sayed would build on the Affordable Care Act to make sure every American could get quality, affordable health care. Obama had stayed out of El-Sayed's August primary race, so this was his first public show of support. The crowd responded with loud cheers and applause throughout the speech.

Obama was also very critical of President Donald Trump during the rally. He accused Trump of using his power to benefit himself and his family rather than ordinary Americans. Obama even poked fun at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, joking that he seemed more focused on soldiers' looks than on real military issues. These sharp comments got some of the biggest reactions from the crowd all night.

Obama also got a big laugh when he talked about Trump's tariffs on Canada. He jokingly called Canada a 'well-known evil empire,' then reminded everyone that Canada gave the world Martin Short and maple syrup. It was a funny moment because Detroit is located just across the river from Canada. The joke showed how Obama used humor to make a serious point about trade policy.

El-Sayed is running against Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman backed by Trump. The race is extremely close — one major poll showed El-Sayed at 50% and Rogers at 48%, within the margin of error. The Cook Political Report, a well-known group that tracks elections, rates the race a 'toss-up.' That means experts think either candidate has a real chance of winning on November 3.

Trump has attacked El-Sayed by falsely calling him a 'jihadist' and claiming he has ties to a group called the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed strongly denies all of those claims. El-Sayed has also faced criticism from some leaders within his own Democratic Party. Even so, recent polls show him holding a small lead as Election Day approaches.

Obama openly admitted that he and El-Sayed don't see eye to eye on everything. El-Sayed once said the Affordable Care Act was only a small, incremental fix — which was a direct criticism of Obama's biggest achievement as president. But Obama said disagreements are normal, even joking that Michelle Obama doesn't agree with everything he does either. What matters most, he said, is that they share the same values of fairness and equal opportunity.

Senator Elissa Slotkin, who won her own Michigan Senate race last year, also spoke at the rally and said 'Michigan believes in electing fighters.' She said that even when she and El-Sayed disagree, it doesn't matter much because they agree on far more important things. She called the election a chance to put a check on President Trump's power. The rally also featured support for Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for governor of Michigan.