Former President Barack Obama is increasingly throwing his political weight behind socialist and socialist-aligned Democrats as the party’s left wing gains ground ahead of the midterm elections.
Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates have scored several notable primary victories this year, adding to signs of the left wing’s growing influence in Democratic politics ahead of November’s midterms. While Obama is not backing every , his recent endorsements and campaign appearances show he is willing to bring some of the partys most progressive figures into the Democratic coalition.
“President Obama remains the most popular figure in Democratic politics and a kingmaker whose support candidates actively seek,” Democratic strategist Kevin Walling told Fox News Digital of the president who left office nearly a decade ago. “He understands that a Democrat who can win in New York City and a Democrat who can win in Michigan and Ohio have different politics, and the ability to bring those people into the same coalition is exactly what makes him so valuable.”
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Obama’s embrace of the party’s progressive wing was on display Saturday in Michigan, where he campaigned alongside Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, while also lending his support to Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon in a campaign video.
While El-Sayed does not identify as a democratic socialist or a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he has embraced progressive policies, including Medicare for All, that have become central to the party’s left wing.
During the Michigan rally, Obama invoked healthcare to defend Democrats against accusations that the party has moved too far to the left.
“What is so radical about wanting everybody to have health care?” Obama asked, as he promoted El-Sayeds pledge to expand access to affordable coverage.
Obamas comments prompted critics to revisit his own Obamacare-era promises and question the affordability of health care under his signature law. One X commenter sarcastically asked, “I thought someone fixed health care. What happened?” Another responded, “Whos going to tell him?”
Obama praised Nixon for championing a $15 minimum wage and opposing Republican-backed congressional redistricting maps, calling her a leader “willing to stand up again and again for whats right” who would make “an outstanding U.S. Senator.”
Nixon, a DSA member, is campaigning on Medicare for All, universal child care, rent protections and higher taxes on billionaires.
The former president has also campaigned with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, whom Republicans have branded a democratic socialist. Talarico has emphasized economic populism, universal health care, stronger unions and campaign-finance restrictions, but does not identify as a socialist.
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Obamas outreach comes amid a series of primary victories by democratic socialists and other left-wing challengers this year. In Colorado, Melat Kiros defeated longtime Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette, while Donavan McKinney ousted Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan. Socialist-backed candidates also won congressional primaries in New York, building on Zohran Mamdanis 2025 mayoral victory.
Obama’s support for the party’s socialist left is not new. The former president endorsed Rep.
