Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed described a “really warm” conversation with former President Barack Obama as the party seeks to find a path forward following last week’s bruising primary.

Unity After Primary

El-Sayed, a progressive, narrowly defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, the Democratic establishment’s preferred candidate. They discussed how to bring Democrats together to retain Michigan’s critical Senate seat in November.

Obama’s political brand has proved to be a durable asset in high-stakes campaigns throughout the 2026 election cycle. El-Sayed has evoked comparisons to Obama, with his Ivy League background and rhetorical style drawing frequent comparisons to the former president.

El-Sayed spoke admiringly of Obama, saying it was an honor to get his advice on the campaign going forward. The progressive described watching Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, where he delivered a keynote speech in support of then-presidential nominee John Kerry.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.