Obama to campaign for Democrats in battleground states before midterms

Former President Barack Obama is making a series of appearances in key battleground states ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. He’s trying to prevent what has been a historic trend – the president’s party losing seats during the midterms.

“It’s critical to get out the vote for Democrats up and down the ballot. The power to protect reproductive rights and codify Roe is in our hands. We just have to use it,” Obama said in a video posted on Twitter.

Democrats lost 63 seats in the House during his first midterm in 2010, Obama described it as a “shellacking.”

While President Biden’s approval rating is 40% according to the most recent Gallup poll, Democrats believe the former president is quite popular.

“Obama occupies a rare place in our politics today,” the former President’s chief strategist David Axelrod told the AP. “He obviously has great appeal to Democrats. But he’s also well-liked by independent voters.”

Here’s a look at the stops he’s making around the country

It begins Friday in Georgia where there are key races for governor and the Senate. Obama will appear with gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, D, who is trying again to defeat Gov. Brian Kemp, R, and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D, who is running for reelection against Herschel Walker, R.

Obama will be in Michigan and Wisconsin Saturday. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, is running for reelection against Tudor Dixon, R. In Wisconsin, he’ll be campaigning for Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, D, who is trying to oust incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson, R. 

Next week he’ll be in Nevada where there is an important race for the Senate. Incumbent Democrat Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is being challenged by the state’s Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt. There’s also a contest for governor where incumbent Gov. Steve Sisolak, D, is being challenged by Las Vegas Sheriff Joe Lombardo, R. These two men worked closely together to carry Las Vegas through the aftermath of the Mandalay Bay shooting in 2017. Now they are opponents. 

Finally, Obama will make a stop in Pennsylvania. There’s a very tight Senate race there that polls show is neck and neck and could go either way. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, D, is running against Dr. Mehmet Oz. A Fetterman win would flip the seat in Democrats’ favor.

Enthusiasm and motivation

While polling indicates which candidate voters prefer, those voters still need to show up and cast a ballot. A recent survey from Monmouth University showed significant differences between voters who are “extremely motivated” and those who are “more enthusiastic.” 

Georgia Senate race general poll

Senator Raphael Warnock, D, 49%

Herschel Walker, R, 44%

Among “extremely motivated” voters

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D, 49%

Herschel Walker, R, 48%

Among “more enthusiastic” voters

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D, 43%

Herschel Walker, R, 54%

The Associated Press contributed to this report.