Former President Barack Obama will join several elected officials and party leaders as delegates from Illinois at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer, with some watchers saying he could draw attention away from his former vice president, President Joe Biden.

Barack Obama was announced as one of the delegates who will lend support, the Washington Examiner reported Tuesday. Another 96 district delegates will bring the total Illinois delegation to 147.

The former president, along with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Democratic Party Chair Lisa Hernandez, is among 31 unpledged or “automatic” delegates, which include Democrats on the state’s congressional delegation, Politico reported.

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