Barack Obama will campaign for Democrats in Michigan

Former President Barack Obama is going to Michigan in a few weeks to campaign with gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson, U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and other Democrats ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The Michigan Democratic Party announced that Obama, who served as president from 2009-2017 and was the nation's first Black chief executive, will be in Detroit for a Get Out the Vote campaign rally on Saturday, Oct. 24.

"President Obama will rally voters and encourage them to vote early for Democrats up and down the ballot," the state party said in a news release.

The event is expected to run from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. No other details were released about the event, the location of which is not expected to be revealed to attendees until the day before. But there is a website where those interested in attending can sign up to take part at https://www.mobilize.us/teammichigan/event/1053725.

Obama won Michigan in both the 2008 and 2012 elections and his involvement in the race could potentially help turn out Democratic voters, especially Black voters in Detroit.

Benson, who is Michigan's secretary of state, faces Republican U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township in the race to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited. El-Sayed, a former Wayne County and Detroit health director, faces Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, who is retiring after two six-year terms.

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Barack Obama will campaign for Democrats in Michigan