A contentious Democratic Senate primary in Michigan is underway, with former President Barack Obama’s legacy playing a significant role. Despite not endorsing a candidate, Obama’s praise for Rep. Haley Stevens is being featured in ads by her supporters.

Ads Feature Obama’s Praise

Stevens’ supporters have spent $5 million airing an ad nearly 4,000 times, featuring Obama praising her work as chief of staff for the US Auto Rescue Task Force during the 2008 financial crisis. The ad campaign is part of a determined effort to link Stevens to the former president in a state where Black voters made up around a quarter of Democrats in the 2022 midterms.

Opponents argue that the ads could mislead voters, with some believing that Obama has endorsed Stevens. However, Obama’s office has declined to comment on the matter.

Outside Groups Weigh In

Outside groups backing Stevens have plowed more than $50 million total into the contest, while her opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, has seen less than $1 million in outside advertising support. The source of some of the ads, funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is another flashpoint in the latest showdown between the party’s rising progressive insurgency and its establishment wing.

Stevens’ role as chief of staff on the US Auto Rescue Task Force during the 2008 financial crisis is another focal point of the ads. The auto bailout was a key component of Obama’s program to help the economy recover from the Great Recession, and Stevens regularly notes that it “saved over 200,000 Michigan jobs.”

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.