WASHINGTON. \u2013 Former President Barack Obama contacted both Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens following Michigan\u2019s contentious Democratic Senate primary, praising efforts to reunify the party and signaling support for Democrats as they turn their attention toward the November general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obama spoke with El-Sayed on Friday in what his campaign described as a warm and encouraging conversation focused on bringing Michigan Democrats together after a difficult primary contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a person familiar with Obama\u2019s thinking, the conversation also represents an early indication of support for El-Sayed\u2019s general-election Senate campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spokesperson for El-Sayed said the former president and the Democratic nominee discussed the importance of party unity and looked forward to working together to help Democrats win Michigan in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obama also contacted Stevens on Friday following the primary. The former president reportedly expressed appreciation for her efforts to bring Democrats together after the race and maintain the party\u2019s focus on the general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stevens, who emphasized her connections to the Obama administration during the campaign, previously served as chief of staff for the U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force. She said she encouraged Obama to travel to Michigan and campaign on behalf of Democratic candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The calls represent another sign that Democratic leaders are attempting to move quickly beyond the divisions created by the primary and consolidate support ahead of what is expected to be a closely watched Senate election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has also contacted the candidates, along with other prominent Democrats considered possible contenders in the 2028 presidential election, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obama does not maintain a formal endorsement process and does not routinely release details about his private conversations with Democratic candidates, making the public acknowledgment of the Michigan calls notable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
El-Sayed welcomed the former president\u2019s outreach despite having criticized aspects of Obama\u2019s presidency in the past. In his 2020 book, Healing Politics, El-Sayed argued that Obama\u2019s administration had left some of its most ambitious and inspiring objectives unfinished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The relationship now appears to be entering a different phase as Democrats focus on maintaining unity in Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
El-Sayed has publicly encouraged Obama to become directly involved in the general-election campaign. During an appearance Sunday on NBC\u2019s Meet the Press, he said the former president\u2019s presence in Michigan could have significant value for the Democratic coalition that helped elect Obama to the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the primary concluded, Democrats are now attempting to bring together supporters of the competing campaigns and redirect their political organization toward November. Obama\u2019s outreach to both El-Sayed and Stevens provides an early indication that national Democratic figures intend to play a role in that effort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON. \u2013 Former President Barack Obama contacted both Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens following Michigan\u2019s contentious Democratic Senate primary, praising efforts to reunify the party and signaling support for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6733,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_efa_diaspora":false,"_faro_latino_breaking_news":"","_faro_sc_coverage_id":0,"_faro_inv_investigation_id":0,"_faro_hero_video_url":"","_faro_hero_video_orientation":"","_faro_featured_image_credit":"","_faro_hero_video_credit":"","_faro_latino_photos_module":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-policy"],"yoast_head":"\n