Obama to campaign for Blumenthal in Connecticut

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/08/25/art.obama.0825g.gi.jpg caption="President Obama will campaign with Connecticut Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal later this month."](CNN) - President Obama will travel to Connecticut later this month to stump for Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal, a spokesperson for the candidate told CNN Saturday.

Obama will campaign with Blumenthal in Stamford on September 16 – the same day he is slated to attend a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in the state.

"I look forward to welcoming the President of the United States to Connecticut. It is an honor to have his support and his assistance,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “His visit will make a difference for us, energizing our supporters and helping us raise the resources we need against my opponent who is spending an unprecedented $50 million on her campaign."

Blumenthal slowly has been dropping slowly but steadily in the polls. A Quinnipiac University survey of Connecticut voters conducted five weeks ago indicated that Blumenthal held a 10-point lead over his challenger, former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon. Blumenthal held a 20-point lead in the same poll in June.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee pounced on news of the fundraiser and said it reeks of desperation.

"It speaks volumes that a candidate who was up by 30 points earlier this year in a deep blue state is now forced to call in the president for reinforcements,” NRSC communications director Brian Walsh told CNN. “Clearly Dick Blumenthal and national Democrats are seeing the same polls that we are."