Barack Obama will campaign for Kamala Harris in swing states as Election Day approaches

Former President Barack Obama is substituting for Vice President Kamala Harris in swing states starting next week, according to a senior campaign official.

The first stop of Obama’s blitz through the embattled country will be Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 10.

The Keystone State has 19 crucial Electoral College votes up for grabs in November, and recent polls show Harris in a dead heat with former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

According to the official, the former commander in chief will make a series of stops in the final 27 days of the 2024 presidential campaign to support Harris in other swing states.

It’s unclear exactly how many of Harris’ events Obama will appear at during the spring campaign leading up to Election Day and whether the vice president will join the 44th president at all of the contested state rallies.

Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania are the seven battleground states in this cycle.

Harris, 59, and Trump, 78, are currently separated by margins of less than 2 percentage points in each of those states, according to the latest RealClearPolitics polling average.

Obama, 63, reportedly played a leading role in the behind-the-scenes pressure campaign to get President Biden to end his re-election bid.

However, the former president waited a full four days after Biden dropped out of the presidential race on July 21 to publicly endorse Harris — whom Biden endorsed immediately after his exit.

Obama’s campaign endorsement comes after he delivered a keynote speech in support of Harris on the second night of the Democratic National Convention, the same day the vice president formally announced the party’s nominee for president.

“This Congress has always been pretty good for kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible,” Obama said in his remarks, arguing that Harris as president “won’t focus on their problems… that will.” they do.” focused on yours.”

The vice president was nearly 100 miles from the convention venue in Chicago during Obama’s speech and chose to hold a campaign rally in Milwaukee rather than attend the proceedings.

The former president’s estranged half-brother, Abon’go Malik Obama, told The Post earlier this week that he believes Barack is “still running the country” — and would “play a big role” if Harris wins in November.

Malik announced last month that he would vote for Trump in the election and has supported the 45th president since 2016.