Former President Barack Obama is coming to Detroit to support Michigan’s Democratic ticket ahead of the state’s consequential midterm election, the party announced Monday.
Obama is set to appear with candidates for Senate and governor, Abdul El-Sayed and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The Associated Press reported Obama recently taped advertisements to support two dozen candidates for governor and US Senate.
On the line is a U.S. Senate seat, an open governor’s race and local races that will determine control of the state Legislature.
Obama and El-Sayed reportedly spoke in August as Michigan Democrats rallied for unity after El-Sayed’s contentious primary win over US Rep. Haley Stevens.
Stevens won the majority of Black Detroiters, which El-Sayed’s campaign has worked to win over in recent weeks. El-Sayed struggled with Detroit voters, earning just 31% of the vote in Detroit on Aug. 4.
During the primary, Stevens ran ads featuring Obama that some voters told Michigan Chronicle was the reason they supported her over El-Sayed. The ad, cut from a speech where the former president was supporting Stevens over a Republican ahead of the 2018 general election, confused some voters who believed Obama had actually endorsed Stevens in her primary campaign vs. El-Sayed.
Both races for governor and U.S. Senate will see candidates debate this week. Benson and James will debate on Oct. 6 and El-Sayed and Rogers debate on Oct. 8. Both debates are happening on WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.
You can register for the event here.