Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed has announced Barack Obama will join him on the campaign trail in Michigan later this month. However, his previous critiques of Obama’s presidency have resurfaced and could undermine his Senate bid.
Long before entering politics, El-Sayed worked as a college professor and then served as public health director for Wayne County. He ran for governor of Michigan in 2018 but lost to Gretchen Whitmer and has never held elected office.
In a 2012 essay, El-Sayed condemned Obama’s presidency as rife with political blunders, pandering to right-wing groups, and poor decisions. He specifically criticized Obama’s failure to end wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—campaign promises that helped secure the president’s election—and accused him of expanding U.S. military operations into Pakistan and Yemen.
El-Sayed also denounced the Affordable Care Act as a “watered-down reform” that prioritized health insurance industry interests over providing meaningful coverage for vulnerable populations. He further claimed Obama deported more people than any previous president, with 3.1 million individuals removed during his two terms.
The essay described Obama’s political appeal as stemming from what El-Sayed called “magnanimous” charisma and “captivating” prose that successfully won over voters to elect him. Now, El-Sayed plans to leverage a similar style for his Senate campaign in Michigan.
This comes amid concerns about El-Sayed’s past associations. Earlier this year, he partnered with controversial streamer Hasan Piker, whose anti-American rhetoric has cast doubt on his campaign viability. El-Sayed hopes Obama’s involvement will help overcome these perceptions.
Polls indicate the Michigan Senate race remains competitive, with El-Sayed currently favored over Republican Mike Rogers.
