Democratic Congressional Candidates Flee Obama

A new trend may be starting among Democratic congressional candidates – distancing themselves from President Barack Obama.

Both Ron Barber, who’s running for the Arizona House seat opened by Gabrielle Giffords’ retirement, and Heidi Heitkamp, who is running to replace retiring Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., made it clear this week that they won’t be riding Obama’s coattails, Politico reports.

Barber, asked at a debate by his Republican opponent Jesse Kelly which presidential candidate he’ll vote for, declined to answer, saying he’s concentrating on his own race. Kelly then pointed out that Barber won’t even acknowledge his support for Obama and the healthcare reform law.

Meanwhile, Heitkamp told The Associated Press that Obama has “failed in the one test America had for him, which was to unite the country. I think he needed to be more hands-on. . . . I don’t think he’s done enough to think broadly and come up with solutions that would engage both sides in a reasonable dialogue.”