Obama endorses Johnson for re-election

ATLANTA - President Barack Obama has endorsed U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson in his bid for a third term.

In a statement released on Thursday by Johnson's campaign, Obama praised the Democratic congressman's work on the economy and his vote for a sweeping new health care reform law.

The 55-year-old Johnson, who revealed late last year that he suffers from Hepatitis C, is facing a primary fight against former DeKalb County chief executive officer Vernon Jones and DeKalb County Commissioner Connie Stokes.

The plug from the president is significant in Johnson's district, which includes parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Rockdale counties. In 2008, 79 percent of voters cast a ballot for Obama compared to 20 percent for Republican John McCain.