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As Joe Biden’s approval rating is running low, Democratic candidates in key states do not want the president to show up at their campaign rallies. However, in the run-up to the midterms on Tuesday, November 8, they have found a handy substitute in former President Barack Obama. The former president is acting as a lifeline in several competitive races and will continue to do so until the election.
The 44th President of the United States recently visited Georgia, where he campaigned for Raphael Warnock and Stacey Abrams. Although Abrams’ gubernatorial aspirations are pretty much gone, the incumbent senator is going head-to-head with Herschel Walker.
“There may be a lot of issues at stake in this election. But the basic question, fundamental question that you should be asking yourself right now is, who will fight for you? Who cares about you, who sees you, who believes in you? That’s the choice in this election,” Obama said at the event and made it clear that “This matters! This election matters, Georgia.”
Obama was also seen in Wisconsin, where he participated in a rally with Mandela Barnes and Tony Evers, who are vying for the Senate and to retain the governorship, respectively.
There, he again made headlines for his sense of humor, this time directed at Evers. According to the former president, the current governor has “more of a Clark Kent” than a Superman vibe. “But don’t let the glasses fool you,” Obama continued, amid laughter.
Obama and a rescue tour of Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania
As for the effectiveness of the former president’s appearances in energizing Democratic campaigns, POLITICO noted that “Nobody is more in demand than Obama. His team was inundated with requests to speak, with Democrats imploring him to cut brief get-out-the-vote videos and congressional leaders leaning on him to headline fundraisers with them.”
Of course, his rescue tour did not end in Wisconsin. This Tuesday he will be in Nevada, to try to be the lifeline that floats the campaigns of Steve Sissiolak and, in particular, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto.
After that event, Obama will head to Arizona to campaign with Mark Kelly and Katie Hobbs to close out his tour in Pennsylvania on the final weekend before the election.
There he will try, along with Biden, to push John Fetterman over the finish line, which would mean succeeding Pat Toomey in the Senate. The incumbent’s appearance is at least striking, given that candidates in competitive races have not gone out of their way to make his presence known in recent campaigning months.
However, Obama’s charisma and smile may not be enough to stop the “red wave” that would reach the U.S. next Tuesday, November 8. Polls predict a high likelihood of this happening, not only in Congress but also in governorships across the country.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]