Obama will campaign with Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit as he steps up his role in the midterms

What happened

Former President Barack Obama will campaign in Detroit later this month with Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, according to an Associated Press report published by PBS NewsHour and ABC News. The rally is set for Oct. 24, which the AP noted is the first day of Michigan's required early in-person voting period.

The event signals support for El-Sayed after a bruising Democratic primary that exposed divisions within the party, the AP reported. El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers, and the AP said the seat is expected to be among a handful that will decide which party controls the majority next year.

Why the Michigan Senate race draws attention

A narrow and divided primary

El-Sayed beat moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in an August primary by less than a percentage point. The AP described the contest as a national test of the Democratic Party's ideological direction. Progressives including Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York backed El-Sayed, while Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer supported Stevens.

Since the primary, El-Sayed has worked to bring Democrats together behind his campaign, the AP reported. Obama called him after his primary win, and former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned with him last month.

The Wayne County gap

Some ads backing Stevens during the primary showed Obama praising her. Stevens also did better than El-Sayed in Wayne County, taking about 51% of the Democratic primary vote to his 45%, according to the AP. The county includes Detroit, where more than three-quarters of residents are Black.

Obama's growing role in the midterms

Ads, rallies and fundraisers

The AP reported that Obama taped two dozen ads last week for Democratic candidates for governor and Senate, to be released in the coming days and weeks. More campaign stops are expected to be announced. Earlier this year he appeared in an ad with Iowa Senate candidate Josh Turek and campaigned in Texas with Senate candidate James Talarico and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa.

This week, Obama is scheduled to headline a Washington fundraiser with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that will include a conversation with Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester. That follows a September event with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to the AP.

A familiar late-season pattern

The AP said Obama has been selective about midterm involvement so far, but a push in the final weeks matches his approach in recent cycles. He campaigned in Detroit on Oct. 22 during the 2024 presidential election and on Oct. 29 during the 2022 midterms. At his 2024 Detroit rally, rapper Eminem introduced him.

A crowded Michigan ballot

The AP called this one of the most consequential elections in recent Michigan history. Beyond the Senate race, the state has open contests for governor, secretary of state and attorney general, and control of the state legislature is also in play.

Benson, who is running for governor against Republican Rep. John James, will also appear with Obama at the Detroit event, the AP reported. Readers following other contests can find more in our election coverage and national news briefs.

What to watch next

• Benson and James are set to hold their first governor's race debate on Tuesday, according to the AP.
• El-Sayed and Rogers are scheduled to debate for the first time on Oct. 8.
• Obama's Detroit rally with El-Sayed and Benson is set for Oct. 24, the first day of Michigan's required early in-person voting period.
• The two dozen ads Obama taped are due out in the coming days and weeks, and more campaign stops are expected to be announced.