Tipsheet

Red State Dems Not Included on Obama's 'Endorsement' List

UPDATE: The Republican National Committee responded to Obama's list by remarking on his negative impact on the party.

"No one's more to blame for how weak today's Democratic Party is than President Obama," RNC Spokesman Michael Ahrens said. "He cost them over 1,000 legislative seats, decimated their state parties and voters rejected his policies at the ballot box less than two years ago.”

ORIGINAL POST

Former President Obama was "proud" to share his list of endorsements just a few months out from the November midterms on Wednesday. Some of the candidates who have his vote of confidence include Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, running for governor in California, Rep. Jared Polis, running for governor in Colorado, Nevada's Jacky Rosen, running for the U.S. Senate, and a host of Democratic congressional candidates.

Suspiciously absent from his list were any of the vulnerable red state Democrats who are in for some real tug of wars this fall. Sens. Joe Manchin (WV), Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Claire McCaskill (MO), and Jon Tester (MT) are going to need all the help they can get if they are going to survive the midterms.

Obama may be more harmful than helpful by interfering in those races, however, considering how Trump friendly those regions are. On the other hand, Obama also appears to be steering clear of New York's 14th congressional district, where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is on the ballot. The 28-year-old already upset Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary, suggesting the district caught on to her radically progressive, anti-establishment message. Maybe Obama figured she didn't need his help because she already has plenty of visibility.

Obama revealed that some of the names on his list include White House and campaign alumni who heeded his call to ‘grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.’”