Barack Obama and Kamala Harris campaign for Democrats, while Donald Trump’s political operation invests in participation

Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris, at separate rallies Saturday, called on Democrats to vote in the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey and in favor of the proposal that would redraw California’s congressional map.

Their efforts came as President Donald Trump’s political operation also pours millions into voter turnout in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races in an effort to boost Republican candidates on those tickets.

Speaking at a rally for Democratic candidate and former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger in Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday afternoon, Obama told a crowd of thousands: “Our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now… Every day this White House offers a new dose of lawlessness, recklessness, pettiness and just plain madness.”

Obama criticized Trump for his handling of the economy and the effect the administration’s layoff efforts had on Virginia, a state home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

“The economy has been really good for some of Trump’s billionaire friends and well-connected corporate and finance brethren who have seen their tax bills go down and no longer have to worry about all these pesky regulators…Hundreds of thousands of federal employees, including many people here in Virginia, have lost their jobs to pay for those multibillion-dollar tax cuts,” Obama said.

In his comments, Spanberger sought to link his opponent, current Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, to Trump.

“We don’t need someone who has been by this administration every step of the way,” Spanberger said. Earle-Sears has not campaigned with Trump and has only received a verbal endorsement from the president.

Obama later joined New Jersey’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, for a campaign rally in Newark on Saturday night. He made similar comments about Trump, Republicans and the state of the economy under the Trump administration.

Obama’s comments diverged as he praised Sherrill for his qualifications and told the crowd that Sherrill is “the kind of leader who understands the mission, who knows who he’s supposed to serve, who doesn’t have a lot of time for excuses. And that’s exactly what New Jersey needs right now.”

Obama also took the time to link Sherrill’s opponent in the race, Republican candidate and former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, to Trump. Ciattarelli has spoken in support of Trump, but has also said he would be willing to raise differences with the president if necessary.

“Donald Trump called Mikie’s opponent ‘100% MAGA’. Not a great endorsement. When asked to grade the Trump administration, Mikie’s opponent said it deserved an A,” Obama said.

But Republicans are also making important strides in the gubernatorial election.

President Donald Trump’s political operation is pouring millions into voter turnout in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races just days before the election, as Democratic candidates lead in both races, a source familiar confirmed to ABC News.

The source familiar with Trump’s political operation told ABC that “Trump-aligned entities” are spending seven figures to get out the vote in each state, which they see as opportunities to test certain campaign tactics before next year’s midterm elections.

Axios was the first to report investments.

fox news reported that Trump held a telerally Thursday alongside outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin to boost Virginia Republican candidates; He previously did the same to boost Garden State Republican gubernatorial candidate Ciattarelli.

“You have a very important gubernatorial election in your state and you have to go vote for Jack,” Trump said during the televised rally in New Jersey, calling Ciattarelli a “special guy” who will produce “incredible results.”

Those involved in Trump’s political operation understand that they are working against all odds, and although polls are improving in New Jersey, for example, Democrats have a substantial voter registration advantage, for almost 900,000.

“President Trump has held tele-rallies because no one energizes voters like President Trump. He’s a turnout machine, as the historic 2024 election results showed, but he’s not on the ballot,” the source familiar said.

Across the country, former Vice President Kamala Harris joined other elected officials at a rally Saturday in support of a ballot proposal in California that could redraw the state’s congressional map, in one of her first major political appearances since leaving office.

Californians are voting on the proposal to determine whether the state will adopt a new congressional map that redraws five Republican-controlled districts to potentially allow Democrats to flip them in the midterm elections. Opponents of the proposal have said the measure will take control over who represents residents out of voters’ hands.

Harris told the crowd that the proposal “is about reminding people that we refuse to kneel at the feet of a tyrant.”

“That’s not what we do. We stand for the principles upon which our nation was founded. We believe in the Constitution of the United States. We believe in the power of the vote and we are prepared, when necessary, to fight fire with fire.”

Harris later added that “other states need to step up too… this fight is not about sitting back and complaining, ‘Oh, they’re cheating.'” It’s not about that. “It’s not that kind of party.”

ABC News’ Emily Chang and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.