Michelle Obama Again Visits State To Campaign For Burke

First Lady Stresses Voter Turnout During Rally In Madison

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Michelle Obama addresses the crowd during the Madison rally on Monday. Photo: Shawn Johnson/WPR News.

First Lady Michelle Obama campaigned for Democrat Mary Burke in Madison on Monday, telling supporters that the key to winning this election would be reaching out to people who might not know about the race.

The first lady had campaigned for Mary Burke in Milwaukee a mere eight days before, a point she acknowledged to the more-than 1,000 people who came to hear her speak in Madison.

“I’m sorry if you’re getting sick of me, but I’m back!” she announced. But there’s a reason that I wanted to come back: I wanted to come here to Madison to talk a little more with a lot of you, particularly our young people.”

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The first lady said the race between Burke and Gov. Scott Walker could be decided by just a few thousand votes. She said if young people each got 10 people to vote, Burke would win.

“You know 10 people in your dorm, in that hallway, sleeping in in your frat and sorority. You know 10 people that you met at that party last Saturday night — after you spent all day in the library studying, of course. Young people, you know 10 people in your lives who aren’t focused who don’t know what’s at stake. You know 10 people that you can energize,” said Obama.

Michelle Obama received some of her loudest applause when she talked about Burke’s push for a higher minimum wage and when she described Burke as a leader who would support women and women’s health care.

Obama also headlined a rally in Chicago on Monday afternoon for Illinios Gov. Pat Quinn.