AP/Carolyn Kaster Barack Obama. US President Barack Obama offered a new talking point to Senate Republicans on Monday — just two weeks away from Election Day.

Speaking on the Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show, Obama said the Democratic candidates who had been avoiding him were actually "strong allies who have supported my agenda." Many of these candidates are in conservative-leaning states where Obama's agenda is decisively unpopular.

"And so some of the candidates there — it is difficult for them to have me in the state because the Republicans will use that to try to fan Republican turnout," Obama said, according to The Hill. "The bottom line is, though, these are all folks who vote with me, they have supported my agenda in Congress, they are on the right side of minimum wage, they are on the right side of fair pay, they are on the right side of rebuilding our infrastructure, they're on the right side of early childhood education."

Neutral political observers said the quote was a gift for Republicans running in tougher-than-expected races in these more conservative states. Senate Republicans need to net six seats to regain the majority in the chamber. To accomplish that, they must pick off Democrats in states like Louisiana, Alaska, North Carolina, and Arkansas.

"Christmas came early for Republicans in tough races," the research firm Potomac Research Group declared Tuesday morning. "Big mistake. We've seen TV ads all around the country, and the GOP spots are scathing — if you vote for the Democrat, you're voting for Obama. The president apparently doesn't get it; he once again has made the election about him. Not a smart move."

Obama Just Said The Last Thing Red State Democrats Want To Hear