Obama records Kotek campaign ad in tight Oregon governor race

Former President Barack Obama is wading into the hotly contested race for Oregon governor, recording a short video ad for Democrat Tina Kotek.

Kotek’s campaign will begin running the minute-long video Friday on social media platforms as it encourages voters to return their ballots. Oregonians began receiving their ballots Thursday, and they must be postmarked or returned to a ballot drop site by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.

In the video, a seated Obama talks directly to the camera, calling Kotek the “real deal.” He describes her legislation to raise the state minimum wage and pass the country’s strongest abortion protections, as well as her campaign priorities of lowering housing and health care costs, protecting the environment and supporting workers. 

“Tina knows things are broken, but she’s a fixer. Always has been, always will be,” Obama said. “And she’s the leader we need in this moment.” 

Obama is campaigning in Atlanta, Detroit and Milwaukee ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections, and he recorded ads for Wisconsin candidates Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes and Arizona gubernatorial nominee Katie Hobbs. Earlier this week, he clarified that Alek Skarlatos, the Republican running in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, doesn’t have his support, despite Skarlatos running multiple ads featuring Obama praising him in 2015 for helping to stop a terrorist attack.

Other high-profile national Democrats are also rallying voters in Oregon as Democrats face an unusually difficult election. Political analysts consider the governor’s race, as well as the 4th, 5th and 6th congressional districts, up for grabs, and most polls give Kotek and Republican Christine Drazan even odds at winning.  

President Joe Biden traveled to Portland last weekend to host a fundraiser for Kotek and joined volunteers as they phone-banked. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, will headline a Kotek rally Saturday, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, is headed to Eugene on Thursday.