Hillary Clinton's push in Arizona is an attempt to force Donald Trump to spend time and energy in a state that should be safe for him. | Getty Clinton goes for the kill in Arizona

Hillary Clinton’s campaign is making its long-rumored move into Arizona, projecting confidence as it hopes to steal a red state with a win that the campaign says would effectively end Donald Trump's chances of becoming president.

After the campaign announced over the weekend that both Chelsea Clinton and Bernie Sanders would be appearing there this week, campaign manager Robby Mook on Monday unveiled the Democrat’s next step: first lady Michelle Obama will be rallying in Phoenix on Thursday.


Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Mook said the push comes with new investment, too: $2 million in television, digital and mail advertising.

Michelle Obama, considered by many close Clinton allies and top aides to be their most effective surrogate even before her highly touted New Hampshire speech last week, will be the campaign’s highest-profile surrogate in the state to date.

Trump remains the favorite to win Arizona, which has voted for the Republican candidate in 15 of the past 16 presidential elections.

But Clinton is just 1 point behind Trump in the state's RealClearPolitics polling average, and her campaign has been signaling its interest in expanding the map there for months. And even if Clinton can't pull the upset, her push there is also an attempt to force the Republican to spend time and energy in a state that should be safe for him.

The state’s growing Hispanic population has kept it on Democrats’ horizons for years.

With just three weeks left to Election Day, it’s late for the Clinton camp to make a serious push into a new state. But Clinton’s team has been eyeing John McCain’s Senate seat, running mate Tim Kaine is planning a media push there, and Clinton aides have repeatedly refused to rule out a visit from Clinton herself — even despite her focus on closing Trump’s path to 270 electoral votes by zeroing in on Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina.

“This is a state that would really foreclose the path for Donald Trump to win the White House,” said Mook.