'I really hope so': Abdul El-Sayed wants Obama to join him on campaign trail

WASHINGTON, DC: Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, said on Sunday, August 9, that he hopes former President Barack Obama will join him on the campaign trail this fall after the two spoke following his primary victory.

El-Sayed described the call as “a really warm and inspiring conversation” and said that he was grateful for Obama’s advice.

The potential campaign appearance would give El-Sayed an early national Democratic connection as he turns from a divisive primary to a general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers.

Abdul El-Sayed hopes Obama campaigns with him

Asked by NBC ‘Meet the Press’ moderator Kristen Welker whether Obama planned to campaign with him, El-Sayed answered, “I really hope so.”

He said Obama understands Michigan’s role in the Senate fight and the broader Democratic effort to challenge President Donald Trump.

“I know that he knows the critical role that Michigan is going to play in holding President Donald Trump accountable, in winning back the Senate, and in building forward the future that we need,” El-Sayed said.

El-Sayed narrowly defeated Michigan Rep Haley Stevens in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

His victory came after a primary campaign that drew support from prominent progressives.

El-Sayed also pushed back Sunday on concerns about consolidating Democratic voters after Stevens and state Sen Mallory McMorrow, who suspended her campaign in July, combined for more votes than he did.

“Five hundred thousand more Democrats voted than did Republicans in that election,” El-Sayed said. “If that happens [in November], we are going to win in a landslide.”

Abdul El-Sayed defends association with Hasan Piker

El-Sayed also faced questions about his association with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said during a livestream that “America deserved 9/11.” Piker later apologized for the remark.

El-Sayed called the comments “dumb” and described the resurfacing of them as “gotcha politics.” 

He did not say whether Piker would campaign with him during the general election.

Instead, El-Sayed said his focus was on reaching voters across the state, including people who follow Piker.

“I’m less concerned now with who I’m campaigning with [and] a lot more concerned about who I’m campaigning to,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to continue to build the coalition that’s going to beat Mike Rogers.”

El-Sayed said Piker’s audience remains part of the coalition he wants to reach. 

“The 3 million people who listen to Hasan are people I want to make sure understand that there’s a pathway into our politics around getting money out of politics,” he told Welker.

Democrats rally around El-Sayed after primary

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that he had a “very good talk” with El-Sayed.

Gov Gretchen Whitmer also campaigned Thursday alongside Democratic nominees for statewide office, including El-Sayed.

Stevens quickly backed El-Sayed after losing the primary, telling NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press’ that there was “no drama” between them.

Sen Chris Murphy said he expected more Senate Democrats to campaign in Michigan this fall.

“I think you’ll see a lot of my colleagues in Michigan,” Murphy told Welker. “I’ll be there supporting him because he’s presenting a strong contrast with a candidate who is pro-corporate, who is pro-Trump, who is pro-war.”

Republicans have already begun attacking El-Sayed as “radical” and “dangerous,” using his full name in videos released by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

El-Sayed compared the tactic to Republican attacks that used Obama’s full name, saying, “We always knew they were going to go here.” 

He added that believing people should be able to afford groceries and have health care “is not radical.”