Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a rally in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

CORAL GABLES, Fla.  –  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is holding a rally focusing on women’s issues at the University of Miami.

The Illinois Senator is scheduled to speak at the BankUnited Center on Friday on the university’s campus in Coral Gables, a Miami suburb.

Obama is trying to court Florida voters at a time when polls shows the race between him and Republican candidate John McCain tightening. Florida again is expected to be one of the key battleground states, with 27 electoral votes up for grabs.

Obama will then make campaign appearances Saturday morning at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach and Jacksonville at Metropolitan Park.