At Birth Detroit on Tuesday, former Vice President Kamala Harris joined Democratic Senate nominee Dr. Abdul El-Sayed for a conversation with medical providers and women’s health advocates about what happens when pregnancy care is too costly, too far away or fails to meet a patient’s needs.
Harris pointed to the danger facing Black mothers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded a maternal mortality rate for Black women in 2024 that was more than three times the rate for white women. Harris also raised the problem of “maternal healthcare deserts.” A 2026 March of Dimes report found that one in 12 women of reproductive age lives in an area with limited or no maternity care.
El-Sayed brings a public health background to the discussion, having previously led health departments in Detroit and Wayne County. His appearance with Harris puts healthcare access into a Senate race with national stakes. He faces Republican nominee Mike Rogers in November for the seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters.
Harris told voters to think about the reach of a six-year Senate term, saying the chamber needs to serve as a “stopgap on the abuses” of the Trump administration. Rogers’ campaign dismissed her visit as a “desperate measure” for what it called a “flailing campaign.”
The visit carried another purpose for Democrats. El-Sayed won a contested primary against Rep. Haley Stevens, and divisions over U.S. policy on Gaza affected Harris’ 2024 campaign in Michigan. El-Sayed had supported the “Uncommitted” movement before backing Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris is now campaigning for him.
The Associated Press reported that El-Sayed hopes her presence will help bring Democratic voters together. At Birth Detroit, they made that appeal through an issue with immediate consequences for families: whether mothers can get the care they need before, during and after childbirth.