Barack Obama has been marketing gold for companies selling stamps, commemorative coins, T-shirts, pajamas and nearly everything else bearing his likeness.

Several Democratic mayoral hopefuls are banking on the new and popular president's Midas touch rubbing off on their campaigns in Detroit, a city that is more than 80 percent black.

A number of ads leading up to Tuesday's special mayoral primary make mention of Obama or his "Time for a Change" theme used so successfully in the race for the White House.

And perhaps nowhere is change needed more than in Detroit, where for nearly a year the city was dragged through an embarrassing text-messaging sex scandal involving former Democratic Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Detroit also faces a budget deficit that could approach $300 million, is in junk bond status and is among the nation's leaders in home foreclosures and unemployment.

"The issue is not so much about Obama than it is about Detroit and the challenges we face," said Jim Edmondson, campaign manager for Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr.

Cockrel moved up to the mayor's office from city council president when Kilpatrick resigned. He is one of 15 candidates running in the nonpartisan election to fill the remainder of the ex-mayor's second term. read more