President Obama endorsed 30 more House candidates, trying to build on his popularity to increase the number of seats held by Democrats. | AP Photo Obama to endorse 30 more House candidates

LA JOLLA, Calif. — President Barack Obama is endorsing 30 more House candidates Monday, expanding his effort to use his rising popularity to help Democrats looking to flip or hold swing districts across the country — and crush them under the association with Donald Trump.

Obama’s already taped ads and robocalls for several candidates, and more is expected in the final two weeks until Election Day.


Democrats remain skeptical at best that there’s any chance of winning the majority, but they’re hoping to build back from their historic low following the 2014 midterms. In the process, they want to squeeze House Republicans — including Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) — by slashing their lead and forcing them into the tricky politics of dealing with an empowered Freedom Caucus.

The endorsements “make the case to voters that Democrats will put people first and make real progress for our country, while Republicans will continue to put party over country by supporting Donald Trump as their standard-bearer,” said Kelly Ward, executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Sunday evening.

Here in California, Obama is backing Ami Bera, Michael Eggman, Salud Carbajal and Doug Applegate. In Nevada, he’s backing Jacky Rosen and Ruben Kihuen and Tom O’Halleran in Arizona. In Colorado, he’s backing Morgan Carroll. In Iowa, Monica Vernon and Jim Mowrer, along with Brad Ashford in Nebraska and Jay Sidie in Kansas.

Obama’s endorsing Rep. Cheri Bustos in Illinois, Angie Craig in Minnesota, Suzanna Shkreli in Michigan. In Florida, he’s with Stephanie Murphy, Val Demings and Joe Garcia. In Virginia, LuAnn Bennett and Jane Dittmar, and in Pennsylvania, Steve Sanarsiero and Christina Hartman.

In New York, Obama is backing Tom Suozzi, Sean Patrick Maloney, Zephyr Teachout and Collen Deacon. In New Jersey, Josh Gottheimer. In Maine, Emily Cain, and Carol-Shea-Porter and Annie Kuster in New Hampshire.

“The president's proud to stand with these Democratic candidates who understand that the gridlock and obstruction in Washington needs to end next January,” said White House political director David Simas on Sunday evening.

At a fundraiser here Sunday night for the DCCC, Obama said Republicans who’ve been in control of Congress have not been doing the people’s business, but have not been doing anyone’s business.

With Republicans in control of the House and Senate, he said, “I thought for the last two years I was going to spend a lot of time vetoing bills — I didn’t have to.”

Obama said the frustration with that is what’s driving him, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to be so active in this year’s elections, which means electing more Democrats to the House.

“As we exit the stage, to make sure that we’re passing the baton not only to Hillary Clinton,” he said, “but also to a Congress that is willing to do the people’s business.”

