On Friday, Dr. Abdul El‑Sayed spoke by phone with former President Barack Obama, shortly after his victory in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s Senate seat, according to representatives of both campaigns.
The two leaders discussed ways to unify the Democratic Party ahead of the November general election in Michigan, El‑Sayed’s campaign said, noting his narrow win in a primary that featured a progressive, anti‑establishment platform.
Obama, known for his selective outreach to emerging Democratic talent, participated in one of several conversations with El‑Sayed after the candidate defeated Representative Haley Stevens, a moderate endorsed by party leaders in Washington, following a contentious campaign.
On the same day, Mr. Obama also called Ms. Stevens and talked about party unity, according to a source familiar with the discussion. Politico had earlier reported on that call.
Dr. El‑Sayed’s contest with former Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee, may decide which party holds the Senate.
In Sunday morning television interviews, Dr. El‑Sayed thanked Mr. Obama for his outreach, describing their conversation as “really, really warm” and an honor.
He also told “Meet the Press” that he sincerely hopes Mr. Obama will campaign for him, noting that the former president “knows a lot about winning Michigan,” having won the state in 2008 and 2012.
Since the primary, Dr. El‑Sayed has spoken with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, among other leaders.
He has spoken with Ms. Stevens on multiple occasions, and she has publicly endorsed his candidacy.
Although Mr. Obama did not officially endorse either candidate during the primary, Stevens’s supporters frequently highlighted her role leading the Obama administration’s auto task force and ran ads featuring praise from Mr. Obama during her 2018 House campaign.
Dr. El‑Sayed, a former 2018 gubernatorial candidate who could become the first Muslim U.S. senator if elected in November, has often been likened to Mr. Obama. Both are charismatic speakers, and each has a father who immigrated from Africa—Mr. Obama’s from Kenya and Dr. El‑Sayed’s from Egypt.
On Sunday, Dr. El‑Sayed recalled watching Mr. Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention speech as a college student, an experience that reshaped his view of politics.
“I never imagined I would enter politics until I saw him deliver that 2004 D.N.C. floor speech,” Dr. El‑Sayed told CNN host Jake Tapper.
Nevertheless, Dr. El‑Sayed has at times pushed back against comparisons to Mr. Obama.
“I’m grateful for what he changed in our politics regarding who can aspire to leadership,” Dr. El‑Sayed told Vox in 2017, adding that “there are many issues on which I disagree with President Obama, both domestically and internationally. I am not him, and I have no intention of becoming him.”
In his 2020 book *Healing Politics*, Dr. El‑Sayed described Mr. Obama’s presidency as embodying “inspiring intentions unfulfilled.”
After the call, however, Dr. El‑Sayed did not linger on their disagreements.
“Sometimes,” he said in a statement, “you should really meet your heroes.”
Also Read
- US Legislature Clears Extensive Russia Sanctions, Targeting Energy Purchases by China and India
- Missile and Drone Strike on Kyiv Leaves 16 Injured
- Leidos Expands Energy Footprint with $2.4 Billion Acquisition: A Strategic Move Toward the AI Infrastructure Boom?
- Nano One Announces Interim Leadership During CEO’s Medical Leave