Obama makes N.C. endorsements

By Cash Michaels

Remember when former President Barack Obama was carefully keeping himself publicly at arms -length from anything political once he left office?

Well, apparently those days are over. Beyond giving a full-throated endorsement of his former vice president in the upcoming November election a few weeks ago, and speaking out forcefully against what he sees are the excesses of the current Trump Administration, the nation’s first Black former U.S. president is now endorsing 118 Democratic candidates for federal, statewide and state legislative offices across the country, including here in North Carolina.

The high-profile move further confirms North Carolina as an important swing state in the crucial November 3rd elections. Pres. Trump had already declared North Carolina as a key state in his re-election, having originally chosen it for his Republican National Convention, only to cancel much of it here because of COVID-19.

According to the press release from his office, Obama “… 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 his Monday endorsement announcement, Obama threw his backing behind incumbent Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, now vying for his second term.

Then Obama listed several Democratic statewide hopefuls for support, including state Rep. Yvonne Lewis Holley for lt. Governor, Ronnie Chatterji for state treasurer, Wake County Commissioner Jessica Holmes for state labor commissioner, and former state Sen. Cal Cunningham for U.S. senator, and former state Supreme Court Associate Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson for U.S. House Eighth Congressional District.

Other Obama picks for the November 3rd elections were new Democratic candidates for the state House and Senate, including Brian Farkas in District 9; Adam Ericson in District 20; Terence Everett in District 35; Sydney Batch in District 37; Kimberly Hardy in District 43; Frances Jackson in District 45; Ricky Hurtado in District 63; Dan Besse in District 74; Christy Clarke in District 98; and Brandon Lofton in District 104.

For the N.C. State Senate, former Pres. Obama endorsed Donna Lake for District 7; Harper Peterson for District 9, Allen Wellons for District 11, and Kirk deViere for District 19.

Pres. Obama is also expected to be active in terms of fundraising and campaigning for Democratic candidates this election.