( CNN ) -- First lady Michelle Obama is heading to Iowa next month to campaign in one of the closest Senate races of the 2014 midterms . In what is only her second announced appearance on the trail for a candidate , Obama will stump for Bruce Braley , a four-term Democratic congressman seeking the open seat . The Braley campaign confirms the first lady 's plans to come to Iowa next month , though no dates , events or locations have yet been set . The first lady could inject some momentum into the race that CNN currently rates as up for grabs . In a sign of how tough this year could be for Democrats , the seat has been held by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin since 1985 . Braley is campaigning against Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst , an Iraq War veteran who beat a large primary field earlier this year with popular ads ( including one about castrating pigs ) and endorsements by many well-known Republicans , including Mitt Romney , Sen. Marco Rubio and Sarah Palin . 2014 midterm elections : Key races . Braley is trying to frame Ernst as an extremist whose views are not in line with Iowans on issues such as minimum wage and personhood . Ernst counters by hitting Braley for his years as a trial lawyer and accusing him of being a Washington bureaucrat . It might not come as a big surprise to Iowans that the first lady will be making a public appearance on the trail instead of her husband . A recent Gallup poll showed the President with a 38 % approval rating in the Hawkeye State , a few points below the national average . Michelle Obama goes where her husband ca n't . Other popular Democrats will appear in Iowa this weekend as well . Bill and Hillary Clinton will both appear at Harkin 's annual Steak Fry this weekend . Braley will also be though , though neither of the Clinton 's have plans to stump specifically for him . Earlier this week , the first lady debuted on the campaign trail , stumping for Michelle Nunn in Georgia . The Peach State is one of the few opportunities Democrats see as a race in which they could pick up a Senate seat and help maintain their majority in the chamber . The Des Moines Register first reported Obama 's plans .
Michelle Obama to campaign for Democrat in Iowa . Bruce Braley faces Joni Ernst to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin . With low approval rating in some areas , Barack Obama is n't welcome .