Newsom Courts Michigan Democrats in 2028 Shadow, Backing 2 House Candidates and El-Sayed
Updated
Updated · Detroit News · Aug 9
Newsom Courts Michigan Democrats in 2028 Shadow, Backing 2 House Candidates and El-Sayed
2 articles · Updated · Detroit News · Aug 9
Summary
More than 150 people heard Gavin Newsom at a UAW local in Oakland County as he urged Democrats to flip the Michigan Legislature and called the state's elections nationally consequential.
Newsom tied the visit to key 2026 races, praising gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson and saying he planned to meet Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed because control of the U.S. Senate could run through Michigan.
Michigan House Republicans cast the trip as outside help for a weak Democratic ticket, while Newsom rejected efforts to brand El-Sayed and other progressives as extremists.
Oakland County's battleground status adds to the stop's significance: El-Sayed lost the county to Haley Stevens 52%-45% in the primary but won statewide by 1 point, 48.5%-47.5%.
The visit also feeds 58-year-old Newsom's 2028 presidential positioning, with Michigan seen as an early primary state where building ties now could pay off later.