Barack Obama returns to campaign trail for first time since leaving White House

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Barack Obama is returning to the campaign trail for the first time since he left office.

The former president will join a rally to help Democrat Ralph Northam in Virginia's race for governor.

Mr Obama and Mr Northam will appear together at an event in Richmond on 19 October.

“President Barack Obama said that ‘I want to tell you how important Virginia is to me. It means the world to me. It means our legacy, for me and Michelle. I’m going to do everything that I can to come to Virginia to campaign for you,’” Mr Northam told the crowd at a recent campaign event, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported.

The focus of the rally will be "the need for the next governor to create economic opportunity for all Virginians," according to the Northam campaign.

Mr Obama has largely stayed out of the political spotlight since leaving office in January, but recently denounced Donald Trump's repeated attempts to repeal Obamacare as "aggravating."

Virginia is one of only two states electing new governors this year, and the swing state's contest is viewed as a possible early referendum on Mr Trump, who has tried to undo many of Mr Obama's signature legacies.

The former president won Virginia both in 2008 and 2012.

Mr Northam will need many of Mr Obama's supporters, particularly African-American voters, to turn out in the election in order to be successful against Republican Ed Gillespie.

Most polls have shown a close race between Mr Northam, a paediatric neurologist, and Mr Gillespie, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee and White House adviser to Former President George W Bush.

Former vice-president Joe Biden will also join the campaign trail for Mr Northam.

However, his opponent Mr Gillespie has also received high profile endorsements.

Last week, Mr Trump endorsed him in a tweet, accusing Mr Northam of "fighting for the violent MS-13 killer gangs & sanctuary cities."

Mr Gillespie is also close to Vice President Mike Pence, who is set to campaign with him on Saturday.

Mr Gillespie has also turned to Mr Bush to help fundraise and Mr Northam recently had a fundraiser with Hillary Clinton.

The election will take place on 7 November.