… Obama is not welcome in many states with competitive Senate races. He has never been welcome in most of them, not in 2008 when he was the aspirational candidate and not in 2012 when the country was deeply polarized around his presidency. Embattled incumbents will run with that weight on their shoulders. In blue and purple states, he may not be a significant drag, but he is not particularly helpful to candidates in those places.
Yet he is an obvious asset in rallying the party’s base, even in states where he is not welcome, which is of vital importance given the Republicans’ current enthusiasm advantage. CONT.
Dan Balz, Washington Post