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Obama contacts Michigan Senate candidates after primary

Created at 9 Aug · 3:11 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Former President Barack Obama has reached out to both Democratic Senate candidates in Michigan, Elissa Slotkin and Abdullah El-Sayed, following a contentious primary. The calls signal efforts to unify the party ahead of the general election.

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Who's Involved

Barack Obama
Former President who reached out to Michigan Senate candidates
Elissa Slotkin
Michigan Senate candidate
Abdullah El-Sayed
Michigan Senate candidate
Kamala Harris
Former Vice President who made similar calls
Pete Buttigieg
Former Transportation Secretary and potential 2028 contender
Mark Kelly
Senator and potential 2028 contender

↳ Why This Matters

The calls signal efforts by the Democratic party to unify behind its candidates in Michigan, a crucial swing state, following a divisive primary, aiming to secure victory in the upcoming general election.

Key facts

  • Former President Barack Obama has reached out to both Democratic Senate candidates in Michigan, Elissa Slotkin and Abdullah El-Sayed.
  • The calls follow a contentious primary election.
  • Obama previously contacted Stevens following the primary.
  • Stevens expressed a desire for Obama to campaign for Democrats in Michigan.
  • El-Sayed, who previously criticized Obama's presidency, stated that his presence in Michigan would be significant.

Former President Barack Obama has made calls to both Democratic Senate candidates in Michigan, Elissa Slotkin and Abdullah El-Sayed, in a move seen as an effort to mend fences after a hard-fought primary. These outreach efforts follow similar calls made by former Vice President Kamala Harris and other potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Senator Mark Kelly.

Obama had also spoken with Stevens on Friday after the primary, with a source indicating the former president "appreciates her focus on uniting Democrats to win Michigan in November." Stevens, who highlighted her ties to Obama as chief of staff for the U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force, reportedly urged him to "come to Michigan and campaign for the Democrats."

The former president does not have a formal endorsement process and typically does not issue joint readouts of his calls with candidates, making this instance a notable exception. El-Sayed, who previously expressed critical views of Obama's presidency in his 2020 book "Healing Politics," stated that Obama's presence in Michigan would be meaningful to the coalition that helped elect him. The Detroit News and The New York Times had previously reported on Obama's call with El-Sayed.

Frequently asked questions

The calls are seen as an effort to unify the Democratic party in Michigan after a contentious primary election, ahead of the general election.

The former president does not have a formal endorsement process and the calls were not joint readouts, indicating a personal outreach rather than a formal endorsement.

El-Sayed previously wrote critically of Obama's presidency in his book 'Healing Politics,' stating that his presidency left 'inspiring intentions unfulfilled.'

What Happens Next

01Obama may campaign for Democrats in Michigan.
02Slotkin and El-Sayed will continue their campaigns for the Senate seat.

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Cadence

How It Developed

Barack Obama contacted Michigan Senate candidates Elissa Slotkin and Abdullah El-Sayed.
Obama previously called Stevens following the primary.
Stevens told Obama to campaign for Democrats in Michigan.
El-Sayed stated that meeting Obama would mean much to the coalition that elected him.
El-Sayed previously criticized Obama's presidency in his book 'Healing Politics'.

Sources

T1
Obama reached out to both Senate candidates in MichiganPolitico

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