Former President Barack Obama is traveling to Michigan to campaign with Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed, despite the resurfacing of El‑Sayed’s earlier critiques of Obama’s presidency.
El‑Sayed, who edged out U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens by 14,893 votes in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary on August 5, 2026,out of nearly 1.5 million ballots,tackled his earlier remarks on a recent episode of “Meet the Press.” In a 2012 HuffPost op‑ed published after Obama’s reelection, he claimed the administration missed the mark on core progressive issues such as civil liberties, immigration, economic inequality, and foreign conflicts, declaring the election result was “no victory. It was the rock we chose over the hard place.”
On “Meet the Press,” El‑Sayed explained that those comments reflected a different stage of his life and that he no longer shares the perspective he voiced over ten years ago.
“The person who wrote those op‑eds when I was younger,I was younger, right? And I was angry about circumstances,” El‑Sayed said.
He then likened his view of Obama to his relationship with his own father, expressing deep gratitude while acknowledging personal differences.
“We’ve lived through two Trump terms now. So look, I know that President Obama was handed a really difficult set of circumstances, and he did his best … And I think about my dad. I wouldn’t have my life but for my dad’s efforts. So grateful for him. At the same time, there’s a lot of things about my dad that I’d do differently, right?” El‑Sayed said. “It’s because when you intensely appreciate somebody who’s done so much to make something that you’re doing possible, you’re both going to see the best of them, and you’re also going to see the things that you want to change. I can’t say how much I appreciate President Obama.”
El‑Sayed added that after his August primary win, he spoke with Obama on the phone, calling the conversation “warm and inspiring.”
“I really enjoyed the conversation. I was grateful for his advice. It was very warm, very inviting, and I know that he knows the critical role that Michigan is going to play in holding Trump accountable, in winning back the Senate, and in building forward the future that we need,” he said.
Obama, who has ramped up his involvement ahead of the 2026 midterms with endorsements and DNC digital ads, dismissed worries about El‑Sayed’s policy positions at a fundraiser on Wednesday, October 7.
“I’m going to go to Michigan to campaign for Abdul el Sayed. And people are like, ‘Well, he’s really left‑wing.’ But I don’t know,he’s for a higher minimum wage and healthcare for all, and it doesn’t seem crazy to me. You know, FDR was for that, too,” Obama told attendees.
At the same gathering, Obama cited close contests nationwide as proof that the electoral map is widening, spotlighting Texas where Democrat James Talarico is taking on Republican Ken Paxton.
“There are states right now in play that I would not have imagined being in play. If you had told me that the polling currently shows James Talarico ahead of Ken Paxton,now, Paxton helps. And James is an outstanding candidate. But if you had told me that he was going to be up in the polls this late, I would have said, ‘Eh, I don’t think so,’” Obama said.
El‑Sayed and Obama will soon share a campaign stage in Michigan as Democrats aim to capture the Senate seat this November.
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