Obama set to spend Saturday on the Democratic campaign trail ahead of midterms
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Barack Obama will campaign Saturday alongside Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate in Ohio and Michigan, two competitive states that will help determine control of the chamber, as the former president steps up his role in the midterm elections.
Obama’s first appearance is in Cleveland with former three-term Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is attempting to unseat Republican Sen. Jon Husted.
Amy Acton, a Democrat campaigning for governor against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, is also set to join the event.
Although Ohio has shifted more reliably Republican, it has been a fiercely contested battleground this year.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both visited the state in recent weeks to rally support for Husted and Ramaswamy.
Obama will then travel to Detroit for a rally with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official working to unify Michigan’s Democratic base after winning a competitive primary by under a percentage point.
El-Sayed is running against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers.
Obama’s visit to Detroit, which is three-quarters Black, could help build support for El-Sayed among Black voters.
During the primary, opponent Haley Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, by about 6 percentage points.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian vice president, campaigned for El-Sayed in September.
El-Sayed offered criticism of Obama after his 2012 reelection over unfulfilled progressive campaign promises, writing that Obama “was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one.”
El-Sayed told reporters earlier this month he valued the former president, calling him “foundational” to his path to run for office, though noting elements of Obama’s presidency he differed with.
“It’s a normal thing to love somebody, to really appreciate all that they’ve done, and to say, ‘Hey, here are some things I would have done differently,’” El-Sayed said. “But they still did some important things to create opportunity for you.”
El-Sayed spoke with Obama on the phone shortly after winning his primary in August.
Michigan also has open contests for governor, attorney general and secretary of state. Democratic nominee for governor Jocelyn Benson is slated to appear with others down the ballot. Benson faces Republican Rep. John James.
Obama will lead a rally in Georgia next week alongside Sen. Jon Ossoff and candidate for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Trump is scheduled to speak in Georgia on Saturday.
