Abdul El‑Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, said on Sunday that he spoke with former President Barack Obama and hopes the former president will campaign for him as Democrats work to unite after a contentious primary that highlighted divisions between progressive and moderate wings.

The primary, held last week, saw El‑Sayed defeat incumbent Democratic Representative Haley Stevens by a narrow margin, prompting a contentious contest that exposed rifts within the party. A rally in Detroit on August 7 brought together Michigan nominees and other national Democrats, with the crowd cheering El‑Sayed, a former public health official.

El‑Sayed described his Friday conversation with Obama as "really warm and inspiring," though he provided no further details. An Obama spokesperson confirmed the call. El‑Sayed said he hopes Obama will travel to Michigan to help build support before the November midterm elections, noting that Obama won the state in 2008 and 2012. The former president’s involvement could be influential in a race where Democratic Senator Gary Peters is retiring, and the seat is crucial for the party’s effort to regain a Senate majority.

Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman who lost the 2024 Senate race to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, released a video seeking to appeal to Democrats uneasy with the party’s progressive direction, saying "You have a home with us." El‑Sayed acknowledged that the primary generated differences but said the internal divisions are "so much smaller than the similarities that we share," and emphasized that Democrats must come together to face the upcoming election. The party’s unity effort will be tested as it confronts a Republican opponent who seeks to capitalize on lingering Democratic fractures.