Obama with young voters

Arrival of Obama in 

Wisconsin, to

campaign among 

young voters

President Obama arrived in Wisconsin Tuesday afternoon, hoping that the warmth of a college-style pep rally will offset the political chill of the upcoming midterm elections.

Obama arrived on Air Force One from sunny New Mexico, grabbed a navy blue windbreaker to fight off the Midwestern autumn chilliness. But his real message comes later Tuesday at a Madison rally where he will try to bring back the enthusiasm among college students and other voters who helped propel him into the presidency.

The Madison trip is the first of series of appearances on college campuses before the Nov. 2 election. The Obama camp is hoping to reenergized as many as 15 million Americans who were first time voters in 2008 to help Democrats keep control of Congress.

Most polls show Republicans running strongly with the hope of capturing at least 39 more seats to win control of the House.

Though Democrats and Republicans are almost equally matched in voter registration, most polls show Republicans more enthusiastic about their candidates, especially the new group that won nominations with the help of the “tea party” movement.

Obama left the tarmac and headed to the University of Wisconsin where he will deliver what aides have indicated will be a rousing speech on a campus that was solidly in his camp in 2008.

The GOP needs a net gain of 10 seats to win control of the Senate and have target a Wisconsin senator who faces a tough reelection race.

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) was initially expected to miss the event, but tweeted this afternoon that he was “proud to join President Obama at my alma mater.”

The three-term senator is trailing in his re-election bid to businessman Ron Johnson.A new Fox News/Pulse Opinion Research poll released on Tuesday showed Johnson with a 52% to 44% lead.

The same survey also put Obama’s approval rating in the state at just 41%, with 53% disapproving of his job performance.

“I think the president is concerned that if he can’t win here, he’s got big time problems,” said Reince Priebus, chair of the Wisconsin Republican Party. “He’s not a net positive for Democrats in Wisconsin, he’s a net negative. … Then again, where else is he going to go?”Michael A. Memoli, of the Tribune Washington Bureau contributed to this report.

(source:ky3.com)