Former President’s Release Only Lists First Round of Endorsements
WASHINGTON—Today, President Barack Obama announced his endorsement of more than 100 candidates in advance of November’s elections. This first wave of endorsements comprises 118 candidates from 17 states running for federal, statewide and state legislative offices.
“I’m proud to endorse this diverse and hopeful collection of thoughtful, empathetic, and highly qualified Democrats,” President Obama said. “Together, these candidates will help us redeem our country’s promise by sticking up for working people, restoring fairness and opportunity to our system, and fighting for the good of all Americans—not just those at the top. They make me optimistic not just about our party’s chances in November, but about our country’s future long after that. So if you’re in one of their districts or states, make sure you vote for them this fall. And if you can, vote early—by mail or in person.”
Reflecting President Obama’s commitment to use his unique standing to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot, he set guiding principles for issuing this fall’s endorsements. He selected candidates because their election would advance key goals: winning control of the U.S. Senate and holding the majority in the U.S. House; electing Democrats who will support fair redistricting in 2021; supporting alumni of his campaigns and Administration; and promoting diverse, emerging leaders for this time.
In every round of endorsements President Obama has issued since leaving office, he has supported candidates running at the state level who the National Democratic Redistricting Committee has identified as critical to the upcoming redistricting process. This fall is the last opportunity for voters to decide who will have a seat at the table when new maps are drawn in 2021 – maps that will be in place for the next decade. As the President has said, we need to end gerrymandering so voters can choose their elected officials, not the other way around.
President Obama believes our long-term challenges can be addressed best when we all take a more active role in our democracy. That’s why he has dedicated his post-presidency to identifying and elevating the next generation of leaders. In issuing this first round of endorsements for 2020, President Obama hopes to help current and aspiring Democratic leaders establish themselves, build their profiles, and lead their communities. Today’s endorsements also include 10 Obama Administration and campaign alumni who heeded President Obama’s call in his farewell speech to “grab a clipboard, get some signatures and run for office yourself.”
Endorsed candidates hail from states that have already completed their primaries. President Obama expects to issue a second round of endorsements this fall after the remaining states’ primaries have wrapped up.
President Obama
Photo: TRT Archives/Glenn Koetzner 2011
Since leaving office, President Obama has remained politically active, campaigning in 2017 and 2018, and issuing nearly 300 endorsements in the 2018 midterm cycle; fundraising for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, and the Democratic Governors Association; and endorsing Vice President Joe Biden in April 2020. President Obama has already held numerous events for Biden for President and expects to continue this sustained political activity leading up to November 3, what he has called the most important election of our lifetimes.
“Our country’s future hangs on this election, and it won’t be easy. But pandemics have a way of cutting through a lot of noise and spin to remind us of what is real, and what is important,” said President Obama. “Elections matter. And we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.”
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FIRST WAVE OF 2020 ENDORSEMENTS
ARKANSAS
Joyce Elliott
U.S. House, AR-02
CALIFORNIA
Josh Harder
U.S. House, CA-10
TJ Cox
U.S. House, CA-21
Christy Smith
U.S. House, CA-25
Gil Cisneros
U.S. House, CA-39
Katie Porter
U.S. House, CA-45
Harley Rouda
U.S. House, CA-48
Mike Levin
U.S. House, CA-49
Ammar Campa-Najjar
U.S. House, CA-50
Ann Ravel
State Senate, SD-15
COLORADO
John Hickenlooper
U.S. Senate
Jason Crow
U.S. House, CO-06
ILLINOIS
Marie Newman
U.S. House, IL-03
Sean Casten
U.S. House, IL-06
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan
U.S. House, IL-13
Lauren Underwood
U.S. House, IL-14
INDIANA
Christina Hale
U.S. House, IN-05
IOWA
Theresa Greenfield
U.S. Senate
Abby Finkenauer
U.S. House, IA-01
Rita Hart
U.S. House, IA-02
Cindy Axne
U.S. House, IA-03
MAINE
Sara Gideon
U.S. Senate
NEBRASKA
Kara Eastman
U.S. House, NE-02
NEVADA
Susie Lee
U.S. House, NV-03
Steven Horsford
U.S. House, NV-04
NEW JERSEY
Amy Kennedy
U.S. House, NJ-02
Andy Kim
U.S. House, NJ-03
Josh Gottheimer
U.S. House, NJ-05
Tom Malinowski
U.S. House, NJ-07
Mikie Sherrill
U.S. House, NJ-11
NEW YORK
Jackie Gordon
U.S. House, NY-02
Max Rose
U.S. House, NY-11
Jamaal Bowman
U.S. House, NY-16
Mondaire Jones
U.S. House, NY-17
Antonio Delgado
U.S. House, NY-19
Dana Balter
U.S. House, NY-24
NORTH CAROLINA
Roy Cooper
Governor
Yvonne Lewis Holley
Lieutenant Governor
Ronnie Chatterji
Treasurer
Jessica Holmes
Commissioner of Labor
Cal Cunningham
U.S. Senate
Pat Timmons-Goodson
U.S. House, NC-08
Brian Farkas
State House, HD-09
Adam Ericson
State House, HD-20
Terence Everitt
State House, HD-35
Sydney Batch
State House, HD-37
Kimberly Hardy
State House, HD-43
Frances Jackson
State House, HD-45
Ricky Hurtado
State House, HD-63
Dan Besse
State House, HD-74
Christy Clark
State House, HD-98
Brandon Lofton
State House, HD-104
Donna Lake
State Senate, SD-07
Harper Peterson
State Senate, SD-09
Allen Wellons
State Senate, SD-11
Kirk deViere
State Senate, SD-19
Terri LeGrand
State Senate, SD-31
OHIO
Kate Schroder
U.S. House, OH-01
Desiree Tims
U.S. House, OH-10
Phil Robinson
State House, HD-06
Monique Smith
State House, HD-16
Jessica Miranda
State House, HD-28
Emilia Sykes
State House, HD-34
Amy Cox
State House, HD-43
Chris Stanley
State House, HD-59
PENNSYLVANIA
Josh Shapiro
Attorney General
Nina Ahmad
Auditor General
Joe Torsella
Treasurer
Christina Finello
U.S. House, PA-01
Susan Wild
U.S. House, PA-07
Matt Cartwright
U.S. House, PA-08
Eugene DePasquale
U.S. House, PA-10
Marlene Katz
State House, HD-29
Lissa Geiger Shulman
State House, HD-30
Brittney Rodas
State House, HD-105
Jonathan Kassa
State House, HD-151
Nancy Guenst
State House, HD-152
Anton Andrew
State House, HD-160
Deb Ciamacca
State House, HD-168
Claudette Williams
State House, HD-176
Ann Marie Mitchell
State House, HD-178
John Kane
State Senate, SD-09
Janet Diaz
State Senate, SD-13
George Scott
State Senate, SD-15
Pam Iovino
State Senate, SD-37
Julie Slomski
State Senate, SD-49
SOUTH CAROLINA
Jaime Harrison
U.S. Senate
Joe Cunningham
U.S. House, SC-01
TEXAS
Sima Ladjevardian
U.S. House, TX-02
Lizzie Fletcher
U.S. House, TX-07
Adrienne Bell
U.S. House, TX-14
Wendy Davis
U.S. House, TX-21
Sri Preston Kulkarni
U.S. House, TX-22
Gina Ortiz Jones
U.S. House, TX-23
Candace Valenzuela
U.S. House, TX-24
Colin Allred
U.S. House, TX-32
Erin Zwiener
State House, HD-45
James Talarico
State House, HD-52
Keke Williams
State House, HD-54
Angela Brewer
State House, HD-64
Sharon Hirsch
State House, HD-66
Jeff Whitfield
State House, HD-92
Joe Drago
State House, HD-96
Elizabeth Beck
State House, HD-97
Jessica Gonzålez
State House, HD-104
Terry Meza
State House, HD-105
Joanna Cattanach
State House, HD-108
Brandy Chambers
State House, HD-112
Rhetta Andrews Bowers
State House, HD-113
Celina Montoya
State House, HD-121
Natali Hurtado
State House, HD-126
Gina Calanni
State House, HD-132
Ann Johnson
State House, HD-134
Jon Rosenthal
State House, HD-135
Akilah Bacy
State House, HD-138
VIRGINIA
Elaine Luria
U.S. House, VA-02
Cameron Webb
U.S. House, VA-05
Abigail Spanberger
U.S. House, VA-07
