Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Former President Barack Obama rallied Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey on Saturday (November 1), urging voters to reject the “lawlessness and recklessness” of President Donald Trump’s administration ahead of Tuesday's (November 4) gubernatorial elections, per Reuters.
Over the weekend, Obama appeared at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he joined Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for governor, to rally voters before the election.
“Let’s face it, our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now,” Obama told a cheering crowd. “Every day this White House offers people a fresh batch of lawlessness and recklessness and mean-spiritedness and just plain craziness.”
During Spanberger's campaign stop, Obama also accused Trump of pursuing a “shambolic” tariff policy and misusing the National Guard in U.S. cities. Obama criticized Republican lawmakers for failing to stand up to Trump, saying even business and academic leaders had been too quick to “bend the knee.”
Obama delivered a similar message at a rally in Newark, New Jersey, for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill.
“It’s like every day is Halloween, except it’s all tricks and no treats,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Obama also took a sarcastic jab at Trump's renovations to the White House.
“In fairness, he has been focused on some critical issues, like paving over the Rose Garden so folks don’t get mud on their shoes, and building a $300 million ballroom," the former president said.
Polls show Spanberger, 46, a former CIA officer and six-term congresswoman, holding a sizable lead over Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, 61. In New Jersey, surveys indicate a tighter race, with Sherrill slightly ahead of Republican Jack Ciattarelli, 63, a former state assemblyman making his third bid for governor.
Despite Democrats’ strong registration advantage in New Jersey, Republicans have gained ground in recent cycles as Ciattarelli lost by just three points in 2021 and Trump trailed by six in the 2024 presidential election.
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