Former Vice President Kamala Harris made her first stop on the campaign trail in Michigan alongside Abdul El-Sayed, whose political history hasn’t always put him on the same page as the former vice president.

Harris joined El-Sayed for a black maternal health roundtable, throwing her support behind the doctor-turned-politician.

‘I’m here to support Dr El Sayed, because on this subject I know he will be a champion. And I have a right to say that,’ the former vice president said.

El-Sayed, who has never practiced medicine, has made healthcare affordability a central focus of his agenda.

Harris also argued that attacks on DEI are attacks on maternal care.

‘An attack on DEI to recognize diversity, equity and inclusion is an attack by definition on maternal care, including efforts to protect Black women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care.’ Harris said.

Harris joined El-Sayed in Detroit today as he tries to build a coalition capable of carrying him through November.

He told NewsNation that bringing Harris into the campaign is about bringing together voters who backed her in 2024 with the progressive activists who powered his own Senate campaign.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has been traipsing around the campaign trail selectively, rather than showing up for her party across the country. Her first stop tonight is campaigning alongside Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan

During the 2024 Democratic primary, El-Sayed was among Michigan Democrats urging voters to select ‘uncommitted’ rather than backing Biden, as part of a protest over the administration’s handling of the Israel-Gaza war

Mike Rogers’ campaign told NewsNation that it plans to have a truck circling the event that plays an attack ad targeting El-Sayed over his ties to progressive streamer Hasan Piker

It’s an unusual political pairing, and it raises a bigger question about Harris’ role in the 2026 midterms.

Harris has been traipsing around the campaign trail selectively, rather than showing up for her party across the country.

The answer is more complicated than simply saying Democrats do not want her.

Harris is campaigning with El-Sayed in Michigan, and is scheduled to campaign with Senator Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Nevada gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford, and California House candidates Marni Von Wilpert and Richard Pan.

But some Democratic candidates have explicitly said they do not want Harris campaigning alongside them, including Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola, Kansas Senate candidate Adam Hamilton and Iowa gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand.

They’ve all sought to keep their campaigns focused on local issues and distance themselves from national Democratic figures.

For candidates trying to win over independents and Republican voters, appearing alongside Harris could also give their opponents an opening to tie them more closely to the national Democratic Party.

As for Michigan, Harris lost to Donald Trump in 2024 by more than 80,000 votes.

Trump received roughly 49.7 percent of the vote to Harris’ 48.3 percent, after former President Joe Biden had carried the state for Democrats in 2020.

And El-Sayed knows the tensions inside Michigan’s Democratic coalition well.

During the 2024 Democratic primary, he was among Michigan Democrats urging voters to select ‘uncommitted’ rather than backing Biden, as part of a protest over the administration’s handling of the Israel-Gaza war.

But after Biden withdrew from the presidential race and Harris became the Democratic nominee, El-Sayed supported Harris.

El-Sayed’s political roots run through the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

In his 2018 campaign for Michigan governor, he received the backing of Bernie Sanders, and Sanders has again endorsed him in his 2026 Senate campaign.

Now El-Sayed is attempting something considerably broader.

Harris represents an important part of the coalition El-Sayed is trying to assemble.

But her appearance also highlights the complicated relationship between the former vice president and today’s Democratic candidates.

After a bitter primary in which El-Sayed defeated Representative Haley Stevens, Democratic figures have increasingly rallied around him.

Senate Majority PAC, aligned with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, has committed an additional $10 million to the race, bringing its reported investment to $30 million.  

In a statement to the Daily Mail, GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers accused El-Sayed of turning to Harris as his campaign struggles to gain traction.

Rogers pointed to El-Sayed’s role in Michigan’s 2024 ‘uncommitted’ movement and his past criticism of campaigning for Harris, arguing that the pair’s alliance represents a sharp political reversal.

‘Desperate times call for desperate measures,’ Rogers said.

He also accused Harris and El-Sayed of backing policies that he says would raise costs and taxes and reduce incarceration, while blaming the Biden-Harris administration for the surge in inflation during its time in office.

Inside the event, Harris and El-Sayed will be focused on Black maternal health and healthcare costs, giving Harris and El-Sayed a policy issue where both can campaign together without making the appearance solely about their differences over foreign policy.

Outside, Republicans are preparing to make the case that El-Sayed’s progressive alliances tell a very different story.

Mike Rogers’ campaign told NewsNation that it plans to have a truck circling the event and playing an attack ad targeting El-Sayed over his ties to progressive streamer Hasan Piker.

Piker is a prominent political commentator whose outspoken views have made him a deeply polarizing figure on the American left and a frequent target of conservative criticism.

His commentary has included forceful criticism of US foreign policy and Israel, as well as provocative remarks about American military and foreign policy actions.

More recently, El-Sayed has had to put some distance between himself and Hasan Piker as the streamer’s recent comments have drawn backlash.

After Piker made controversial remarks about Jewish Americans and Israel, El-Sayed said that ‘nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople’ and emphasized his commitment to Jewish safety.

He completely disavowed Piker’s comments about Jewish Americans and acknowledged that there are ‘many, many things’ the two disagree on, including Piker’s past comments about 9/11.

The Daily Mail reached out to Harris’ team and El-Sayed’s campaign for comment.