Obama backs Bowser in DC mayoral race

President Obama on Monday announced his endorsement of D.C. mayoral candidate Muriel Bowser, amid concerns the Democratic nominee’s numbers are fading ahead of November’s general election.

Obama hailed Bowser as “a champion for working and middle-class families, and a passionate proponent of Washington” in a statement released by her campaign.

{mosads}”As we continue our efforts to move our country’s economy forward, I know I’ll be able to count on Muriel to expand opportunity for all,” Obama added. “That’s why I’m asking for you to vote for her in the general election this November.”

Bowser said she was “extremely honored” to receive the president’s endorsement, and pledged to “emulate” Obama by “bringing people together to find solutions to our toughest challenges.”

“We share a progressive vision, believing that we only succeed when opportunity is available to everyone,” Bowser said.

An Economic Growth D.C. CapitalDecision2014 poll released earlier this month showed Bowser with just a 35-27 percent lead over independent candidate David Catania. The poll of 1,023 likely November 2014 voters was conducted by FrederickPolls of Arlington, Va., from Sept. 28-30. It was conducted using live calls to both landlines and cellphones. The poll sampled “super voters” from the 2010 Mayor’s election, plus new registrants since 2010 from a District voter list. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent.

The District, which is heavily Democratic, has exclusively elected mayors from that party since winning home rule in 1975.

In April, White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters he was not sure if Obama had ever met Bowser, but said he expected a presidential endorsement to come.

“I can tell you that the president and the White House values the strong working relationship that we’ve had with a couple of mayors in the District of Columbia and whoever the next mayor is, we’d anticipate that that strong working relationship will continue. But I would anticipate that the president will support the winner of the Democratic primary of that contest,” Earnest said.