Former President Barack Obama is kicking off a marketing campaign blitz Thursday in Pennsylvania, aiming to rally assist for Vice President Harris in battleground states as she makes her closing plea to voters with just below a month left earlier than Election Day.
Obama’s cease in Pittsburgh marks his debut as a battleground-state surrogate within the 2024 presidential election. He is anticipated to go to different swing states earlier than Election Day, too.
He and former first woman Michelle Obama endorsed Harris in July, vowing to do all the things they may to assist her win the White Home. Each have remained common because the former president left workplace in 2017, and each addressed the Democratic conference in August.
“Kamala Harris will not be targeted on her issues, she’ll be targeted on yours,” Obama mentioned in a speech on the conference. “As president, she will not simply cater to her personal supporters and punish those that refuse to kiss the ring or bend the knee. She’ll work on behalf of each American. That is who Kamala is.”
Obama has remained a key determine within the Democratic get together since he left workplace in 2017, and had remained silent amid the calls for his vp, President Biden, to drop out of the race, though there have been studies that Obama had privately expressed considerations about Mr. Biden because the nominee. Mr. Biden finally dropped out of the race in July, backing Harris.
Obama and Harris have an extended relationship, relationship again to his run for Senate 20 years in the past. Harris then backed Obama’s history-making run for the White Home, knocking on doorways in Iowa.
Whereas Obama rallies assist for Harris in Pennsylvania, the vp will probably be in Nevada, one other key battleground, collaborating in a city corridor occasion hosted by Televisa Univision earlier than returning to Pennsylvania on Monday.
Harris is predicted to carry a marketing campaign rally in Erie, marking her first go to to the bellwether county since launching her presidential run.
However she has traveled to Pennsylvania over a dozen instances in 2024, together with seven since saying her bid. Her surrogates, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota first woman Gwen Walz, have additionally been campaigning within the state.