Former President Barack Obama has released an endorsement video supporting Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s reelection campaign ahead of the November midterm elections. In the video, Obama highlights Shapiro’s leadership and integrity while criticizing what he sees as negative aspects of the current political climate in Washington. Polls show Shapiro leading his Republican opponent, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, by significant margins; a Quinnipiac University poll found Shapiro ahead by 25 percentage points among likely voters. This endorsement is part of Obama's broader strategy to support Democratic candidates across key states as he aims to influence the outcome of important Senate and gubernatorial races.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro for reelection in a video released on Friday. Obama highlighted Shapiro's leadership and emphasized the need for elected officials who demonstrate "decency and integrity" while opposing what he called the "chaos, cruelty and corruption" in Washington. This endorsement is part of Obama's broader strategy to support Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections, which includes backing candidates in other key battleground states like Georgia and Wisconsin.
Written for “Obama Supports Shapiro Re-election” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
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Leaning score withheld for article 67784: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-09
Former President Barack Obama is throwing his support behind Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro's reelection campaign, releasing a video endorsement Friday as the former president steps up his involvement in key Senate and gubernatorial races in the final stretch before the midterm elections.
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president → throw → elections
"Pennsylvania, Governor Shapiro has your back — and in this election, I'm asking you to have his," Obama says in the video first obtained by CBS News.
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Obama → have → News
Obama praised Shapiro's leadership and record in office and emphasized the importance of electing leaders who demonstrate "decency and integrity" while standing up against what he describes as the "chaos, cruelty and corruption" in Washington.
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he → praise → Washington
The endorsement is part of a wider effort by Obama to help Democrats ahead of the November elections.
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endorsement → help → elections
The former president has cut
for Democratic Senate and gubernatorial candidates across the country.
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president → cut → country
Several were released Thursday, including videos supporting Democrats in key battleground states: Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff,
Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson, Georgia gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Wisconsin gubernatorial nominee David Crowley.
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Several → release → Jackson
Obama is also expected to campaign in Michigan later this month for Democratic senatorial contender .The former president, who continues to be one of the most popular Democrats according to a CNN poll released this summer, is reprising his role as "closer-in-chief," as he has done in previous cycles since leaving the White House 10 years ago.
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he → expect → House
This time, he's serving as a prominent surrogate in his party's efforts to win control of Congress and key governors' offices on Nov. 3.
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he → serve → Nov.
Shapiro, who is seeking a second four-year term, is facing Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity.
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who → seek → Garrity
Most polls show the Democratic incumbent holding a commanding lead with less than a month to go until Election Day.
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incumbent → show → Day
A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found Shapiro leading Garrity by 25 percentage points among likely Pennsylvania voters.
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Shapiro → release → voters
The survey also found Shapiro with a 63% job approval rating.
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survey → find → rating
A separate New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena poll released last month showed Shapiro ahead by 20 points.
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Shapiro → release → points
The governor's strong political standing in Pennsylvania, one of the nation's most closely watched presidential battleground states, has also fueled increased speculation about his political future.
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standing → watch → future
Shapiro is widely viewed as a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, although he has repeatedly emphasized that his immediate focus is winning reelection.
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focus → view → reelection
Shapiro and Obama have been politically aligned for nearly two decades, stretching back to when Shapiro served as a state legislator and endorsed Obama's 2008 presidential primary run.
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Shapiro → align → run
In Friday's endorsement video, Obama calls Shapiro a "friend" and "one of my earliest endorsers."
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Obama → call → endorsers
Both fans and detractors of Shapiro have compared his and Obama's speaking styles.
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fans → compare → styles
Vice President JD Vance about the jab by CBS News at the time, Shapiro said: "Barack Obama was probably our most gifted orator of my time, so it's kind of a weird insult, I guess."
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I → say → time
, "If I really tried to do a bad impression of Barack Obama, that's what it would sound like."
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it → try → what
The Aporia
