Former President Barack Obama is intensifying his efforts to support Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections by raising money and making campaign appearances. At a recent fundraiser, he raised $3.6 million, bringing his total fundraising for Democrats this cycle to over $13 million. Obama emphasized that several races are very close and could go either way, including those in traditionally Republican states like Texas. He also highlighted the diversity of Democratic candidates, ranging from progressive Abdul El-Sayed to centrist candidates like Josh Turek in Iowa.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.25, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 69671: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-10
Obama warns donors that races are 'on the razor's edge' as he ramps up midterm push
The 44th president has raised more than $13 million for Democrats this cycle.
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president → warn → Democrats
With less than a month until Election Day, former President Barack Obama is sharply increasing his role in the midterm elections, raising money, cutting ads and hitting the campaign trail as Democrats press into territory he says he never expected to compete in.
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he → increase → territory
At a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) fundraiser held in Virginia on Wednesday, the former president told donors the Senate map now includes states like Texas that he "would not have imagined being in play," according to excerpts of his remarks reviewed by ABC News.
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he → hold → News
He also cautioned that every one of those races could still slip away.
uncertain
one → caution → races
“I don’t want anybody to think this is a sure thing.
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this → want → ?
It’s not,” he said alongside Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Delaware, a vice chair of the DSCC.
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he → ’ → DSCC
“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."
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we → end → points
He described the outcome as "on the razor's edge."
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He → describe → edge
Kansas, Nebraska and Sen. Jon Ossoff’s lead in Georgia also made his list of surprises.
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Kansas → make → surprises
The fireside chat event raised $3.6 million, according to Obama's office, which it said brings his total for party committees this cycle to $13.6 million.
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it → raise → million
Obama's involvement extends well beyond fundraising and also includes him making direct appeals for candidates.
Over the past two days, ads or endorsement videos have rolled out for gubernatorial candidates Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Deb Haaland in New Mexico and David Crowley in Wisconsin.
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ads → extend → Wisconsin
Senate candidates featured so far include Ossoff and Troy Jackson in Maine.
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candidates → feature → Maine
The Democratic National Committee launched a new series of ads Friday in a six-figure digital buy, in which Obama urges Democrats to "get involved."
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Obama → launch → Democrats
The ads add to Obama's campaign appearances in Texas, where stumped with Senate candidate James Talarico and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa in Austin, and he appeared in an ad in Iowa with Senate candidate Josh Turek in July.
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he → add → July
He is scheduled to campaign next in Michigan for Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Jocelyn Benson, who is running for governor.
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who → schedule → governor
That stop will put Obama alongside El-Sayed, one of the party's most progressive candidates.
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stop → put → candidates
Obama used Wednesday's fundraiser to defend the breadth of the Democrats “big tent.”
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Obama → use → tent
He joked that leading the party is "a pain in the butt" because of how wide a range of ideological views it holds.
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it → joke → views
“I’m going to go to Michigan to campaign for Abdul El-Sayed.
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I → go → Sayed
And people are like, ‘Well, he’s really left-wing.’
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he → ’ → ?
But I don’t know, he’s for a higher minimum wage and healthcare for all, and it doesn’t seem crazy to me.
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it → know → me
You know, FDR was for that, too,” Obama said at the DSCC fundraiser.
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Obama → know → fundraiser
In the same remarks, Obama praised Turek, who is running in a state President Donald Trump won comfortably in 2024, for focusing on farmers hurt by tariffs and the Iran War.
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Trump → praise → tariffs
“Any place, politics starts with people feeling as if they are seen,” Obama advised.
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Obama → start → ?
According to an NBC News poll conducted in mid-September, 30% said they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Trump, but 52% said they’d be less likely.
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they → accord → Trump
In comparison, 43% said they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Obama, 37% said they’d be less likely.
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they → say → Obama
Obama remains the party's most in-demand surrogate and his expanding schedule signals how much Democrats are counting on him to energize voters in the final weeks.
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Democrats → remain → weeks
The Aporia
