Obama Heads to Pennsylvania to Give Harris a Jolt of Democratic Energy

Former President Barack Obama will headline a rally on Thursday in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, as Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign seeks to use one of her party’s most popular politicians to mobilize the Democratic base.

Unleashing Mr. Obama is a sign that Ms. Harris is moving her campaign into its highest gear with Election Day less than a month away and the presidential race exceedingly close. This week, her operation is turning its focus from fund-raising and defining her message to getting out the vote as quickly as possible.

Mr. Obama’s rally on Thursday in Pittsburgh kick-starts that effort. And he is expected to continue rallying Democrats to the polls in several more battleground state events in the coming weeks.

“You bring in someone like Barack Obama to inspire people, to encourage them to participate and to set the stakes and urge them to vote,” said David Axelrod, a former top strategist for Mr. Obama. “There’s no one better.”

Encouraging early voting is a key campaign strategy. As more Democrats cast their ballots early, it becomes easier for the Harris campaign to find and turn out the voters who are harder to reach.

Early voting has already begun in Pennsylvania, which Ms. Harris must almost certainly win to defeat former President Donald J. Trump. She holds a narrow lead in the polls there, having overcome the significant deficit she inherited from President Biden. Democrats are hoping for high voter turnout in the state’s biggest cities, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.