Former President Barack Obama endorses Nevada's Jacky Rosen, 80 more candidates in U.S. midterms

John Fritze | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Obama encourages women to get more involved in politics Former President Obama encouraged women to get involved in politics because "men have been getting on my nerves lately." Nathan Rousseau Smith has the story.

WASHINGTON – Former President Barack Obama announced endorsements Wednesday of 81 Democratic candidates in the November midterm elections, and said he is "eager" to help his party gain seats in a contest widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump.

While Obama did not mention Trump by name, he said in a statement outlining his plans that he wanted to lend his status to help candidates who would fight for shared opportunity, help repair alliances abroad and further a commitment to justice.

He described his picks as "diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted."

Obama weighed into races for governor, the House of Representatives, Senate and also for state legislative seats. He backed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who would be the nation’s first African-American female governor if elected, Nevada Senate candidate Jacky Rosen and scientist Sean Casten, who is running in a tossup House district in Illinois.

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He weighed into other races in California, Colorado,

Obama has kept a relatively low profile since leaving office last year, and many Democrats have been keen to get the president – still widely popular within the party – onto the campaign trail. Democrats are battling for control of the House, and need to flip a net 23 seats to take over that chamber. They face a more daunting challenge in the Senate, where Republicans hold a two-seat majority but where Democrats are struggling to defend seats in several states that Trump won in 2016.

“I’m confident that, together, they’ll strengthen this country we love by restoring opportunity that’s broadly shared, repairing our alliances and standing in the world, and upholding our fundamental commitment to justice, fairness, responsibility, and the rule of law," Obama said in a statement.

"But first, they need our votes – and I’m eager to make the case for why Democratic candidates deserve our votes this fall.”