Former President Barack Obama threw his support behind Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan. This move comes just before a major rally in Detroit. No endorsement video from the former president appeared until Monday.
In the new ad, Obama speaks directly to the camera. He added that this idea is under attack. That is why he is asking voters to back El-Sayed for the United States Senate.
Obama pointed to El-Sayed’s past work as a doctor. He observed that the candidate has taken on special interests to fight for good jobs, better healthcare, and lower costs. The former president also highlighted El-Sayed’s push for Medicaid for all. He praised the refusal to take corporate money and the opposition to foreign wars. El-Sayed is facing Mike Rogers, a former Republican representative, on November 3. This race is one of the most watched in the country.
El-Sayed has a history of criticizing Obama. He once called out the former president on immigration and healthcare. On Sunday, El-Sayed said those past critiques came from his “younger” and “angry self.” He admitted that people grow up and learn. He said he now appreciates how hard change is.
Abdul El-Sayed is an open borders, no deportations radical.
“We as a country, I believe, owe it to the world to open our doors.”
To him, there is no difference between someone who is here illegally and the American citizen.
Please don’t vote for this anti-American insanity. https://t.co/HkNa432gDv
— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 10, 2026
Not everyone agrees with this new alliance. A video from 2018 shows El-Sayed speaking against cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In the recording, he stated that he was not willing to be a part of that. He promised to move for legislation to stop localities from helping ICE. RedState reported on this old footage. They called him an “open borders, no deportations radical.”
El-Sayed was quoted by the same outlet as saying, “We as a country, I believe, owe it to the world to open our doors.” Critics say this view treats illegal immigrants the same as American citizens. They argue he wants to spend huge amounts of money on retraining and English lessons for newcomers. This stance is a major point of contention for voters.
Other critics are focusing on a different issue. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana made headlines this week. Kennedy made these comments while campaigning with Mike Rogers. He later said El-Sayed likely got the jersey from a streamer named Hasan Piker.
Host Larry Kudlow weighed in on the matter. He called El-Sayed a “big phony.” Kudlow said the candidate refuses to answer simple questions about threats to the nation. Kennedy defended his remarks. He said El-Sayed feels contempt for America. He also noted that El-Sayed’s friend, Piker, has made extreme statements about 9/11 and Jewish people.
El-Sayed has not backed down. He and Senator Bernie Sanders called Kennedy a racist. Kennedy rejected that claim. He said he is not a Democrat and pointed to his party’s history. The debate over his character continues as the election nears.
Obama also endorsed a candidate in Mississippi on Monday. He hopes his support will help move the needle in deep red states. El-Sayed needs to unite voters who backed his primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens. The final vote is set for November 3.
