In preparation for the quickly-approaching presidential election, First Lady Michelle Obama will campaign for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton on Pitt’s campus on Wednesday.
Obama will speak at the Fitzgerald Field House at 3:30 p.m., where doors will open at 1 p.m. Anyone interested in attending can RSVP on Hillary Clinton’s website.
According to a release from Hillary for America, Obama — who will be in Philadelphia earlier that day — will urge Pennsylvania voters to register to vote and support Clinton and Kaine. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 11.
Obama’s speech in support of Clinton will come just days after the first presidential debate, which many pundits predict will be a decisive turning point in the election.
Michelle Obama officially began supporting Clinton in September with a rally in Virginia, after both Obamas voiced their support for Clinton during speeches at the Democratic National Convention in July.
Both President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have campaigned for Clinton in the area, highlighting Pennsylvania’s importance as a battleground state in the presidential election.
Nationally, Clinton is two points ahead of Trump, according to an ABC News and Washington Post poll.
Clinton has a three-point lead in Pennsylvania, against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, according to a Muhlenberg College and Morning Call poll conducted from Sept. 19 to 23. Although still ahead in the polls, Clinton dropped from a nine-point lead last week, according to the same poll.
Apart from their campaigns for Clinton, both Barack Obama and his wife have directly influenced Pittsburgh during President Obama’s time in office.
Phipps Conservatory launched Let’s Move Pittsburgh as a part of Obama’s national Let’s Move campaign, an effort to increase exercise and decrease time spent on electronics. In her time as first lady, Obama has been praised for her influence on healthy eating and fitness, as well as her advocate work for service members and their families and improving education for girls internationally.
In October, Barack Obama is coming to Pittsburgh for the White House Frontiers Conference, a collaborative event hosted by Pitt, Carnegie Mellon University and officials from the White House to focus on improving technology and innovation nationwide.