Obama Warns Midterm Races Are 'On the Razor's Edge'
The former president is intensifying his campaign efforts, raising funds and making appeals for Democratic candidates with less than a month until Election Day.
Former President Barack Obama is significantly increasing his involvement in the midterm elections, engaging in fundraising, producing advertisements, and campaigning as Democrats push into states that he said he did not anticipate competing in.
During a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) fundraiser in Virginia on Wednesday, Obama told donors that the Senate map now includes states like Texas, which he “would not have imagined being in play.” He cautioned that these races remain highly competitive, according to excerpts of his remarks reviewed by ABC News.
“I don’t want anybody to think this is a sure thing. It’s not,” Obama stated. “We could end up, all these races that are showing we’ve got a two- or three-point lead or it’s a tossup, we could end up losing all of them by two points." He described the current electoral landscape as being "on the razor's edge."
The fundraiser generated $3.6 million for party committees, bringing Obama's total contributions this cycle to $13.6 million. Obama's engagement also includes direct appeals for candidates, with ads and endorsement videos recently released for gubernatorial candidates Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania and Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, as well as Senate candidates like Jon Ossoff in Georgia.
The Democratic National Committee launched a new series of digital advertisements on Friday, featuring Obama urging voters to “get involved.” These ads complement Obama's campaign appearances, which have included stops in Texas with Senate candidate James Talarico and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, and an ad in Iowa with Senate candidate Josh Turek. He is also scheduled to campaign in Michigan for Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson.
Obama defended the diversity within the Democratic Party, referring to it as a "big tent." He noted that candidates like El-Sayed, who advocates for a higher minimum wage and universal healthcare, represent views that align with historical Democratic platforms, citing Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also praised Turek for focusing on issues affecting farmers facing economic challenges.
Recent polling indicates Obama remains a strong surrogate for the Democratic Party. An NBC News poll conducted in mid-September found that 43% of voters were more likely to support a candidate endorsed by Obama, compared to 37% who were less likely. In contrast, 30% of voters were more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, while 52% were less likely.
Obama's expanding schedule highlights the reliance Democrats are placing on him to mobilize voters in the critical final weeks before the election.