Former President Barack Obama is listed as a special guest at the May 6 fundraiser hosted by the actress Katie McGrath. | Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images Obama will appear at McCaskill fundraiser in Beverly Hills

LOS ANGELES — Former President Barack Obama will appear at a Beverly Hills fundraiser for Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in May, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO — a sign Obama is edging into the midterm elections.

Obama is listed as a special guest at the May 6 fundraiser hosted by film studio executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and others Los Angeles-area heavyweights, including director J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath. This is his first post-presidential fundraising event for an individual candidate — and it goes to the female senator who very notably backed him early over Hillary Clinton in 2008.


No admission price was listed on the invitation, which was paid for by McCaskill 2018 Victory — a joint fundraising committee for McCaskill, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Missouri Democratic State Committee.

McCaskill is one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats seeking reelection this year. She will likely face Republican state Attorney General Josh Hawley.



CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify which Katie McGrath is connected to the fundraiser.