Obama Endorses Ben Jealous For MD Governor, 2 House Races

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Democrat Ben Jealous in his bid to oust Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan this fall, and backed two House of Delegates candidates. On Monday afternoon, Obama announced his endorsement of Jealous and his running mate, Susan Turnbull, along with House of Delegates candidate Courtney Watson of Howard County and Maryland House speaker Michael Busch.

In the latest Goucher Poll released Sept. 19, the results showed that Jealous has lots of ground to make up even in solidly blue Maryland. Poll respondents said that if the general election were held today, 54 percent of likely voters would vote for Republican Hogan and 32 percent for Jealous. Seventy-three percent of those who decided on a candidate say they are set on their candidate. About a quarter say they could change their mind.

Busch has face two major health scares this year, and the affect on his re-election effort isn't known. In June he had a liver transplant, and on Sept. 19 he underwent heart bypass surgery Wednesday. His chief of staff told the Capital-Gazette Busch will rest at home for one to two more weeks after his release from the hospital.

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Control of Congress and the future of Donald Trump's presidency are on the line as the primary season closes this week, jump-starting a two-month sprint to Election Day that will test Democrats' ability to harness opposition to Trump and determine whether the Republican president can get his supporters to the polls.

For both parties, the stakes are exceedingly high.

After crushing defeats in 2016, Democrats open the fall campaign brimming with confidence about their prospects for retaking the House, which would give them power to open a wide swath of investigations into Trump or even launch impeachment proceedings. The outcome of the election, which features a record number of Democratic female and minority candidates, will also help shape the party's direction heading into the 2020 presidential race.

Republicans have spent the primary season anxiously watching suburban voters, particularly women, peel away because of their disdain for Trump. The shift seems likely to cost the party in several key congressional races. Still, party leaders are optimistic that Republicans can keep control of the Senate, which could help insulate Trump from a raft of Democratic investigations.

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Includes reporting by Patch Editor Tim Darnell.

PHOTO: Former President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally on September 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Midterm election day is November 6th. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)