CLEVELAND, Ohio - The campaign for Richard Cordray released more details on Sunday about President Barack Obama's upcoming visit.

Obama will appear with Cordray, a Democrat running for governor, Thursday night at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District East Professional Center Gymnasium at 1349 E. 79th St. in Cleveland. An exact time for the program has not been announced, but doors to the public event will open at 5 p.m.

Obama is looking to capitalize on his increased popularity since leaving office to elect more Democrats up and down the ticket nationwide. Cordray, who served under Obama as the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is one of the first candidates Obama is stumping for.

Obama's visit to the state sets up a proxy war between himself and his successor, Republican President Donald Trump. Trump has visited Ohio nine times since his election - when he won the state by more than 8 percentage points - for various rallies and was instrumental in reshaping the Ohio Republican Party.

Democrats realize they may be losing their grip on the pivotal swing state and are hoping for a rebound in 2018 leading into 2020.

Cordray is facing Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine in the governor's race. Trump endorsed DeWine one day after the May primary.

Anyone interested in attending the Obama rally can sign up here.