Barack and Michelle Obama are hitting the campaign trail in 2018. Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Barack Obama is holding campaign events with Democratic candidates in California, Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania just two months before the 2018 midterm elections in November. Michelle Obama is headlining voter registration rallies in Las Vegas and Miami this month, Bloomberg reports.

Why it matters: The Obamas are Democrats' best counter to President Trump's heavy campaign schedule this cycle. Their event announcements come as former President Obama recently endorsed over 80 Democratic candidates up and down the ballot.

Driving the news: Per the NYT, Obama is going to Ohio to stump with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray; he's campaigning with Democrats running in all seven of California's GOP-held districts that Hillary Clinton won in 2016; and he'll campaign with Democrats in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

  • Michelle Obama's voter registration rallies are part of When We All Vote, the nonpartisan group she's involved with that encourages and promotes voting in the 2018 election.

Go deeper: View the full list of Obama's 2018 endorsements

Correction: This post has been updated to reflect that Michelle Obama will not be appearing with any candidates at her rallies.

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 11,124,651 — Total deaths: 526,003 — Total recoveries — 5,905,310Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 2,808,003 — Total deaths: 129,476 — Total recoveries: 790,404 — Total tested: 34,213,497Map.
  3. States: America's exceptionally uneventful Fourth of July ICU beds in Arizona's hot spot reach near capacity.
  4. Politics: Trump extends PPP application deadlineKimberly Guilfoyle tests positive.
  5. Public health: States where face coverings are mandatory Fauci says it has been a "very disturbing week."
  6. Business: The economy may recover just quickly enough to kill political interest in more stimulus.
  7. Sports: 31 MLB players test positive as workouts resume.
  8. 1 📽 thing: Drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.