President Obama has waded into another congressional race by backing Democrat Patty Judge in her competitive bid to unseat long-time Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
“I’m excited to support Patty Judge in her race for United States Senate,” Obama stated in a news release from the campaign released Wednesday evening. “I know she will provide the kind of leadership, focus and hard work that the people of Iowa expect. Patty has never backed down from a challenge. I have no doubt that she will carry this spirit with her to the United States Senate.”
The generally well-regarded Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, walked into Democrats’ crosshairs this year when he said he would not convene a hearing for U.S. Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Senate campaign of Rep. Patrick Murphy released the first campaign ad of the cycle featuring Obama.
Obama’s first forray into this year’s election was for Rep. Patrick Murphy, who is seeking to win a Senate seat from Florida over his Democratic rival Rep. Alan Grayson. Murphy’s campaign on Wednesday released the first campaign ad of the cycle featuring Obama.
Obama has also explicitly backed some Senate candidates with no primary opponents, such as former Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.
