Obama Center brings Democratic politicos to Chicago ahead of elections

The opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Thursday will be a celebration of the legacy of former President Barack Obama and his accomplishments. The star-studded event that will feature an address from Obama and performances by Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Jennifer Hudson is also expected to be the biggest gathering of donors, fundraisers and business leaders aligned with the Democratic Party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“It’s a celebration of Obama’s historic candidacy and a celebration of the extraordinary work he did on behalf of our country,” said John Rogers, a co-founder of Ariel Investments and a long-time Obama supporter who donated to the center and will attend the opening.

In addition to the nostalgia, insiders expect conversations on the sidelines between large donors, business leaders, electoral candidates and hopefuls in the next presidential cycle about fundraising and the future of the Democratic Party. 

“People will be talking about how important it is for us to take back the House of Representatives and the Senate, try to encourage all of us in this sort of dismal and disheartening period in our country that it is important for us to step up,” Rogers said.

The event will be a delicate balance between celebrating the legacy of the first Black U.S. president at a striking facility on Lake Michigan and looking to the political future of what Obama stood for in office.

Business leaders, former White House staffers and donors to the center who spoke with CNBC say the messaging from the Obama Presidential Center has been clear that the event and site itself are not political.

Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett, a former Obama administration senior advisor, notes that because the foundation, which will run the center, is a registered non- profit, the new facility is officially non-partisan. 

“We want people from different political ideologies, from different perspectives on issues to come here and have a healthy conversation because that is what a democratic society is all about,” Jarrett told CNBC.

Charles Phillips, co-chairman of the Black Economic Alliance, co-founder of technology investment firm Recognize and a donor to the center, shared a similar sentiment.

“It’s a reminder of the dignity of office of the presidency, because President Obama chaired that office well and conducted himself in a way that made all Americans proud of him,” he told CNBC.

He also said the political undertones of the event will make it a place to be seen for certain presidential hopefuls.

“It’s good for anyone who is thinking about running for president to have their face out there and be seen, shake some hands,” Phillips said. “It’s a good way to reach a lot of people at once because a lot of important people will be there, and you can…