Democrats clamoring for Hillary Clinton as midterms campaigner

Facing a potential Republican surge at November’s midterm elections, Democratic candidates are clamoring for Hillary Clinton to join them on the campaign trail. The former secretary of state's high ratings and connections to a vast roster of major party contributors makes her the most sought after surrogate for Democratic hopefuls in a difficult election year. In contrast, President Barack Obama is expected to have a muted role due to his dropping popularity. While Clinton undoubtedly wants to see her party do well on Nov. 4, a return to town halls and diners will give her a chance to test speech themes and flex her retail politics muscles ahead of her own likely run for president in 2016. Clinton's last campaign was in 2008 and she has looked rusty as she promotes her memoir ‘Hard Choices,’ stumbling over media questions about her personal wealth and lucrative speeches. Helping fellow Democrats will also bolster her existing network of party allies throughout the country should she chose to make a White House bid. But the former senator will have to pick her appearances and endorsements carefully to avoid association with too many losing candidates in the fall, when Republicans are tipped by pundits to keep the House of Representatives and perhaps gain the six seats they need to take control of the Senate. ’I've heard from virtually every incumbent and candidate that she is at the top of their list,’ said New York congressman Steve Israel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. That makes her more popular with House Democratic campaigns than former President Bill Clinton, a veteran campaigner, although her husband's approval ratings with the public are higher than hers. Israel said Hillary Clinton had indicated to him her willingness to get involved in the midterms, when traditionally the president's party is more likely to struggle. ‘Hillary and Bill Clinton can go into any battleground district in the United States and be an asset,’ Israel said. ‘She helps turn out our base, she helps with independent voters, she helps with fundraisers.’ Both the DCCC and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are using Clinton's book as a fundraising tool in emails to supporters. They ask voters to submit their name for a chance to win a copy of the book, thus building a list of her supporters who can be contacted to turn out at the midterm election campaign, according to Yahoo news.