Donna McLeod’s endorsement by President Barack Obama brings her passion for politics full circle because it was volunteering for the 2008 Obama campaign which first fueled her intense interest in politics – even before she became an American citizen.
“I believed in what Obama said and how he goes about making things happen,” she said of the countless hours she spent working on the campaign. As a volunteer with the 2012 campaign, the native of Jamaica became the National Director of Black Women’s Voter Outreach.
Her only disappointment after logging hundreds of hours working for Obama’s campaign and registering others to vote in 2012 was that her own citizenship papers were not processed until after the election. “I could not vote for him in 2012, but I sure worked hard,” she laughs.
Now, four years later, Obama has recorded a robocall for McLeod’s campaign. “I am just on cloud nine to hear his voice asking people to vote for me in the recording,” she said. “I am so happy, it is a joy second only to becoming a mother!”
Here is an excerpt from the White House Press release: “McLeod is among a select group of state legislative candidates from around the country to be endorsed by Obama. District 105 is located within Gwinnett County. Gwinnett County is becoming increasingly diverse and has received national attention in recent months as a bellwether for Georgia’s Democratic shift. McLeod’s tireless advocacy for Medicaid expansion, reinstating the Voting Rights Act, and a quality education for all children makes her the ideal candidate to represent Gwinnett.
“We are thrilled that Barack Obama is endorsing our candidates in some of the most competitive races across the country,” said Jessica Post, Executive Director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. “His endorsement highlights how crucial state legislative elections are to building on the progress Obama has achieved and to continuing to move our nation forward.”
McLeod said as she campaigns, she is finding voters are particularly interested in recent news reports about her Republican opponent’s unpaid tax obligations and liens placed against her properties in two states. “If she can’t manage her own household, voters in the district don’t want to put her in charge of the state budget,” McLeod said.
Hear the Obama robocall on the campaign’s website here: http://www.electdonnamcleod.com/