Sen. Michael Bennet will snag stump support from President Bill Clinton, who has proved to be a coveted campaign booster this cycle.
The Bennet campaign announced this weekend that Clinton will join the Colorado Democrat for a late-night rally Oct. 18 in Denver, but he didn’t always have the 42nd president’s support. In June, Clinton endorsed Bennet’s challenger, Andrew Romanoff, in the August primary. Romanoff is a former Colorado House Speaker, and his father worked in Clinton’s presidential administration.
Clinton will urge those at the rally to take advantage of Colorado’s early voting opportunities, which start Oct. 18, according to Bennet’s campaign.
It will be a busy day on the campaign trail for Clinton, who will attend a fundraising luncheon and afternoon rally with embattled Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in Everett. The incumbent has run up against a strong GOP challenge from former state Sen. Dino Rossi.
Clinton is scheduled to then appear with Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) in St. Petersburg on Oct. 19 and in Orlando on Oct. 20. Meek often polls in third place in the Senate race to succeed Sen. George LeMieux (R), who was appointed by GOP Gov. Charlie Crist when Sen. Mel Martinez stepped down in 2009. Crist is now running for the Senate seat as an independent, and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio is the GOP nominee. Rubio is favored to win.
In the meantime, Clinton plans to do some Columbus Day campaign work for Gov. Joe Manchin, the Democratic Senate candidate, on Monday in Morgantown, W.Va.
Manchin was once seen as the prohibitive favorite to succeed the late Sen. Robert Byrd, but he has been struggling lately against wealthy Republican nominee John Raese. Manchin’s campaign manager said the governor and president are longtime friends.
Clinton will also appear in Kentucky on Monday to boost the Senate campaign of Attorney General Jack Conway (D).
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s re-election campaign announced Sunday that Clinton will appear with the Nevada Democrat in Las Vegas on Tuesday for a rally. Reid is in a close race with GOP nominee Sharron Angle, a tea party favorite.
Lois Lerner, director of exempt organizations for the IRS, arrives for a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on the investigation of the IRS' targeting of political groups. Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not testify and caused a protest from some committee members when she offered an opening statement and engaged in dialogue with members before invoking the right.
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