Obama stumps for Democratic Senate candidate

DETROIT — President Obama spent Saturday night in a unique venue for him this campaign year, a rally for a U.S. Senate candidate.
Obama, whose 2014 campaigning has been confined mostly to fundraisers and governor's races, told backers at a loud college gym that the election of Gary Peters to the Senate will make it easier for Democrats to pursue their economic agenda.
As Democrats and Republicans across the country battle for control of the Senate, Obama told a boisterous group of Michigan Democrats at Wayne State University: "I need your vote."
Obama, who has been shunned by some Democratic Senate candidates because of his low poll ratings, said too many Republicans just say no to programs devoted to raising the minimum wage, promoting equal pay for women, and helping young people re-pay student loans.
"They don't have an agenda for the middle class!" Obama shouted as a crowd of several thousand cheered. "They don't have an agenda for Detroit! They don't have an agenda for Michigan!"
In an appearance geared largely to promoting voter turnout, Obama urged supporters to walk precincts, knock on doors, and make calls in order to get Democrats to the polls on Tuesday.
"I'm not worried about you," Obama told the crowd. "I need you to grab a friend."
As at previous events, Obama said the country has created jobs and forged economic growth since the financial collapse of 2008, and he particularly stressed the comeback of the crucial-to-Michigan auto industry. But there is "more work to do" for people have yet to feel the benefits, he said.
The Wayne State rally also feature gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer, a former congressman who is challenging Republican incumbent Rick Snyder. Polls indicate a close contest.
Peters, a U.S. current House member, enjoys a big poll lead in his Senate race against Terri Lynn Land, a former Michigan secretary of state.
As the crowd cheered, Peters — a Wayne State graduate — welcomed Obama's appearance, and stressed the bailout of the auto industry.
"Thank God, our president stood up for American workers," said Peters, who also pointed out that his election could determine control of the Senate.
While control of the Senate is very much at stake in Tuesday's election, Obama has campaigned mostly for gubernatorial candidates. The president has appeared with Democratic Senate candidates at fundraisers and policy speeches, but this was the only rally of the last campaign week to feature a specific Senate candidate.
Some Democratic Senate candidates have been publicly reluctant to embrace the president's agenda, especially in southern states where Obama has particularly low approval ratings.
Like Republican candidates across the country, Land has tried to make Obama a major campaign issue. On Saturday, she and Snyder — the Republican governor seeking re-election — began what they called a "Stop Obama" bus tour across the state.
Heather Swift, a spokeswoman for the Land campaign, said Obama's "job-killing regulations" have hurt Michigan. She added that "Peters' choice to bring Obama to our state" shows that "we cannot trust Gary Peters to be an independent voice in Washington."
Supporters who gathered for Obama at Wayne State said they didn't blame candidates in other states for not wanting the president to campaign for them.
"Those are more red states, aren't they?" said Linda Hayes, 64, a retired bumper inspector for Ford. Hayes added, however, that she thinks Obama would be a net plus for any Democratic candidate: "He's the president of the United States. I mean, c'mon."
Thomas Hicks, 62, a retired corrections officer from Detroit, said Senate candidates in other states are "just trying to hold on to their jobs." He said Obama can and has helped many candidates, especially when it comes to turning out the African-American vote.
Michigan Democrats expressed confidence about Peters' Senate race. They seemed less confident about whether the Democrats can retain a majority of Senate seats after this election season.
"If things go the way we want them to, I think they will," said Janee Ayers, 33, vice president of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO. "I would say I'm 60% confident."