Former President Barack Obama.(Photo: Matt Rourke / AP, file)

Detroit – Former President Barack Obama is expected to rally Democrats on Friday night at Cass Tech High School in Detroit, where participation in the November 6 mid-term elections could be a determining factor for candidates such as candidate Gretchen Whitmer as governor.

Michigan Democrats are still struggling to convince voters in non-presidential years, especially in urban areas like Detroit. Beyond Garlin Gilchrist II, Whitmer's vice-presidential candidate, the Democrats offer voters in most African-American cities a ticket that is essentially white.

Obama, the country's first black president, "will add some energy in this last week of the campaign," said Jonathan Kinloch, chairman of the 13th Congressional Democratic District Party. "He clearly showed in his election that he could excite the voters in Detroit and the vote turned out, I think it will make a substantial difference, his coming in the future."

Obama should rally Whitmer, Gilchrist, US Senator Debbie Stabenow and other Democrats, including Haley Stevens, Elissa Slotkin, Matt Longjohn and Gretchen Driskell. Former US Attorney General Eric Holder is also expected to attend.

Only 31% of Detroit voters voted in 2014, compared to 43% nationwide, when Republican Gov. Rick Snyder was re-elected against his Democratic challenger Mark Schauer by about four percentage points.

About 48.6% of Detroit voters voted in 2016, when the turnout rate across the state exceeded 64% and Republican President Donald Trump beat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton by less than one point.

Detroit election officials project that Of the 470,000 registered voters in the city, 41% to 46% of voters will vote on the day of the election, based on the main turnout in the city and throughout the state. In 2016, City Clerk Janice Winfrey had a participation rate of 45% to 50%.

Requests for mail-in ballots and early returns fueled expectations of a record mid-term voter turnout on November 6, and Democrats hope Obama will motivate voters frustrated by Republican leadership at the polls. Federal and Federal.

"He is popular not only with grassroots democrats, but also with independents and those who are fed up with the folly of the White House," said Michigan Democrat President Brandon Dillon.

Republicans have a high-level representative available next Monday to launch the base. Vice President Mike Pence is expected to travel to Oakland and Grand Rapids counties, where he will attend a GOP dinner with gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette, US Senate challenger John James, and Other Republicans.

Schuette also said this week that he was hoping that President Donald Trump would campaign in Michigan before November 6th.

"Michigan is in Trump's mind," said the Republican Attorney General, noting recent visits by Lara Trump and Donald Trump Jr., who rallied to James and Kid Rock. "I'm waiting for the President to come in and I look forward to that."

The Michigan Republican Party on Friday accused Democrats of hosting Obama, saying its eight-year presidency "was a total disaster," despite its role in the government's bailout package that allowed automakers to Detroit to avoid financial ruin.

"Obama's policy of raising taxes, regulating and reducing the number of jobs has been the perfect end to Jennifer Granholm's lost decade," said Michigan spokeswoman GOP, Sarah Anderson. "Republicans are on a roll and, as in 2016, last-minute arrivals will not slow this momentum."

Obama came to Michigan to defend Clinton one day before the 2016 elections. However, logistical difficulties with the last-minute visit, including the funeral of the Detroit police, prevented him from finding a room large enough to accommodate him. Detroit. Instead, he ended up in Ann Arbor.

With the Wayne State and Cobo Center Universities booked this week, Democrats will welcome Obama to the Cass Tech gym, a smaller but historically significant venue for the city.

The demand for tickets "was incredible," said Kinloch. "Of course, the old Cass Tech go crazy about it."

Democrats distributed free tickets Wednesday in the state's external offices. The gates of the rally should open at 5 pm. at 2501 2nd Ave in Detroit.

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