News 72K views since yesterday

Before Obama takes the stage, Slotkin and Gilchrist rally Detroit for El-Sayed

USA TODAY's live stream of the Michigan Democrats' rally gives its first hour to the undercard: a toss-up House race, an attorney general hopeful and a lieutenant governor talking basketball.

Channel:

USA TODAY Story of October 25, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of USA TODAY's most watched videos since yesterday, with 71,939 views.

Live: Barack Obama campaigns with Abdul El-Sayed for Michigan Senate race as midterm elections near

Things we can learn from the video

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2:22Winnie Brinks cites Michigan Democrats' tax cuts and free school meals and backs the ticket led by Jocelyn Benson.
6:09Christina Hines introduces herself as a former special victims prosecutor running in Michigan's 10th District.
12:02Elissa Slotkin recalls Obama's past Detroit visits and casts the election as "team fight and team flight."
17:46Eli Savit cites his record against polluters, the opioid industry and wage theft, and pledges to defend elections in court.
27:14Garlin Gilchrist II uses a basketball dunk analogy to endorse Abdul El-Sayed for the Senate.
34:14The DJ builds anticipation for El-Sayed, the governor and Obama as a marching band arrives.

The banner across the bottom of USA TODAY's live stream promises Barack Obama and Abdul El-Sayed campaigning together in Michigan. The first hour belongs to the people who warm up the room.

The Detroit rally, held Saturday with the Nov. 3 midterms close, drew about 72,000 views in its first four hours. That makes it the channel's most watched new video since yesterday. A podium placard reads "VOTE BY NOVEMBER 3," and the opening speaker sets the tone: "When Detroit shows up, Michigan wins!"

State Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks points to Democratic tax cuts and free school meals, then hands off to Christina Hines. Hines presents herself as a former special victims prosecutor and a mother, and calls Michigan's 10th Congressional District "an open toss-up seat." She ties her Republican opponent, Michael Bouchard Jr., to Donald Trump and leads the crowd in Obama's old chant, "Yes we can."

Sen. Elissa Slotkin arrives to loud cheers and offers the line the hall seems to have come for: "When Barack Obama comes to Detroit, Democrats win." She frames the race as "between team fight and team flight." Eli Savit, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, pledges to defend elections in court.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II speaks about growing up in Detroit and what he describes as Black voters being purged. He then turns a dunking metaphor into his endorsement of El-Sayed for the Senate: "Let's dunk the ball. Let's win the election."

After that, a DJ and a school marching band hold the crowd while the announcer promises El-Sayed, the governor and Obama are still to come.

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