Obama, aiming to boost Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, endorses Sherrill and Spanberger

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Barack Obama has endorsed the Democratic candidates for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, seeking to boost Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger ahead of high-stakes elections next month.

The two-term Democratic former president appears in digital ads for the candidates, who are running in the only governors races this year. The odd-year contests are seen as a barometer of how voters feel about President Donald Trump and Republicans who control Congress ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Sherrill faces Republican former Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli, who has been endorsed by Trump. The president participated in a telephone town hall for Ciattarelli ahead of his GOP primary win, and is expected to hold a tele-town hall for him again before the Nov. 4 election.

Spanberger is up against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who has embraced Trump but has not been endorsed by him. Spanberger is a former CIA case worker and served three terms in Congress, ending this year.

Obama specifically mentions the stakes in the video backing Spanberger, criticizing Republicans over tax cuts for the wealthy and for taking aim at abortion rights. He describes Virginia’s elections as “some of the most important in the country this year.”

The ad backing Sherrill in New Jersey mentions her background as a mom, Navy pilot and one-time federal prosecutor, a biographical sketch that’s been front and center throughout the campaign.

Obama’s endorsements come as Democrats have struggled with fundraising and intraparty debates since Kamala Harris’ loss to Trump last year. The party is eager to notch victories in the two Democratic-leaning states that Obama won twice, especially after Trump’s national victory last year. With voting already underway in both states, Democrats are eager to capitalize on anything that might get their voters to the polls.

While Democrats have a registration edge in New Jersey and the state has been firmly Democratic in presidential and Senate contests, it has seesawed between the parties in races for governor. And Trump performed better in New Jersey last year than he did in 2016 or 2020.

Sherrill is seeking to succeed term-limited incumbent Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat who defeated Ciattarelli in a closer-than-expected 2021 contest.

In Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is also term limited. Peyton Vogel, press secretary for Earle-Sears’ campaign, called the Obama endorsement “a desperate play” and said Spanberger is “leaning on liberal elites” to try to save her campaign.

A Spanberger campaign spokesperson said she is grateful to have Obama’s endorsement.

Mail ballots are already being turned in in New Jersey, which also has early in-person voting beginning next week. Early in-person voting is already underway in Virginia where people can also vote by absentee ballot.