The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa will get welcome a White House visitor on the stump — just not President Obama.
First Lady Michelle Obama is headed to Iowa next month to campaign with Democrat Rep. Bruce Braley, the Des Moines Register reported Wednesday.
The visit will inject some star power into the race and possibly give Mr. Braley an October boost just ahead of Election Day.
Mr. Braley is locked in a tight race with Republican Joni Ernst to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. It’s one of a handful of toss-up races this year that will decide whether Republicans can seize majority control of the upper chamber.
Renent polls show Mr. Braley with a thin lead over Ms. Ernst, who is considered one of the GOP’s top recruits for this year’s Senate races.
As in much of the country, Mr. Obama has very low approval ratings in Iowa but Mrs. Obama remains relatively popular.
Mrs. Obama has favorability ratings of about 66 percent, compared to her husband’s ranking in the low 40 percent range, according to a recent national poll by Gallup.
In Iowa, Mr. Obama’s job approval rating dragged at 38 percent in a Gallup poll last month.
Details of Mrs. Obama’s campaign swing in Iowa were not yet available.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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