Former President Barack Obama endorsed Gov. Tina Kotek for re-election Tuesday, Oct. 20, in a 48-second campaign video released two weeks before the Nov. 3 vote.

"You know what's on the line in this election? Your healthcare. Your reproductive rights. Your ability to vote by mail," Obama says in the video, first reported by The Oregonian. "That's why we need your governor, Tina Kotek, fighting for Oregon."

The endorsement is the highest-profile national backing of Kotek's campaign as she faces Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan of Canby in a race that will determine who occupies the Capitol in Salem for the next four years. Every public poll has called the contest a statistical tie. Oregon has not elected a Republican governor since 1982.

Obama did not mention Drazan or President Donald Trump in the video, according to The Oregonian. Kotek has repeatedly pledged to stand up against Trump's policies during her campaign. Obama said Kotek would continue to "stand up to anyone" to help Oregonians.

The video also credits Kotek with expanding abortion access, helping restore food assistance benefits and fighting to protect Medicaid services during her first term.

Every poll within the margin of error

The endorsement lands in a race where the margin between the two major candidates has been razor-thin. An OPB poll conducted Sept. 17-27 found Drazan at 47% and Kotek at 46% among likely voters when undecided respondents were pressed on their leanings. The margin of error was 3.24 percentage points.

Two polls released Oct. 8 showed Kotek with modest leads. A DHM Research poll commissioned by The Oregonian found Kotek at 46% and Drazan at 44%, according to OPB.

An internal Kotek campaign poll put the governor at 46% and Drazan at 42%. Both leads fell within the margin of error.

The Cook Political Report, a national elections forecaster, rates the race "Lean Democrat." Sabato's Crystal Ball rates it "Likely Democrat," according to Newsweek, though the Statesman Journal reported both forecasters had downgraded the race to "Lean Democrat." Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith has polled in the low single digits.

Second Obama endorsement for Kotek

Obama filmed a similar video for Kotek during her 2022 campaign, when she beat Drazan 47% to 43.6% in a three-way race. Then-President Joe Biden and other high-profile Democrats also visited Oregon that year to campaign for her, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Obama has endorsed Democratic candidates in competitive races in at least five other states this cycle, including Wisconsin, Mississippi and Georgia, The Oregonian reported.

There is no indication Trump will publicly support Drazan or visit Oregon, where polls have consistently shown him to be unpopular. Drazan has criticized some of Trump's actions during her campaign while avoiding broader criticism of the president, according to The Oregonian.

Ballots are due by Nov. 3. Oregon voters can drop off or mail their ballots before that deadline.