BACK IN THE FRAY
Obama to Hit Campaign Trail for Democrats in California and Ohio
The beginning of what will likely be an aggressive campaign season for the former standard-bearer of the party.
Siphiwe Sibeko
Former President Barack Obama will finally leap back into the political fray this weekend, campaigning for various Democratic candidates ahead of this fall’s crucial midterm elections.
In his first stop, Obama will campaign in Orange County, California, a typically Republican stronghold where Democrats now hope to flip congressional seats in November.
On Saturday, the former president will rally with seven Democratic congressional candidates, including Josh Harder (CA-10), TJ Cox (CA-21), Katie Hill (CA-25), Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Katie Porter (CA-45), Harley Rouda (CA-48) and Mike Levin (CA-49). These districts are all significant to the Democratic party's attempts to regain a majority in the House of Representatives, as they are Republican-held but won by Hillary Clinton in 2016.
“Democrats need all hands on deck to take back the House, and we could not be more honored to have President Barack Obama’s inspirational voice and unifying message on the campaign trail, with his first stop in Southern California," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) said in a statement announcing the event.
And next Thursday, Obama will travel to Ohio to campaign for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rich Cordray, who is locked in a tight contest in a state where Democrats are eager to take back the governor's mansion.
According to a spokesperson from his office, Obama’s campaign schedule is still being crafted but through the month of September, he is expected to go to Pennsylvania and Illinois as well, in addition to appearing at a New York City fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
On Friday, Obama will also give a speech at the University of Illinois, where he is expected to lay out some campaign themes.
He will also release a second round of endorsements for candidates. Just last month, the former president announced his first batch of endorsements for more than 80 candidates up and down the ballot.
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