CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – With Democrats and Republicans split evenly in the US Senate, the stakes are high for Senate elections in key states.
Former President Trump vocally supports the candidates he favors. However, a big name doesn’t lean into these races that much; President Biden. Why? It probably depends on how popular Biden is.
For example, he is not popular in North Carolina, which could explain why he has never campaigned with the Democratic candidate in the state.
With just over two weeks to go until Election Day, polls are neck and neck in major Senate races in states like Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
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North Carolina Senate candidates Cheri Beasley, a Democrat, and Ted Budd, a Republican.
(Allison Lee Isley for The Washington Post, Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“There was back and forth with them in front, us in front, them in front,” President Biden said Friday at a press conference.
Biden watches these races closely, but does not get directly involved in most of them.
“The president is welcome in North Carolina,” said Cheri Beasley, the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina Senate. “It’s great if he comes to see the successes and also our challenges.”
However, a presidential visit might not be in Beasley’s best interest. Biden lost North Carolina to former President Trump in 2020.
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“Cheri Beasley always finds a way to be super busy whenever the Joe Biden administration comes to North Carolina,” said Beasley’s opponent, Trump-backed Rep. Ted Budd.
Budd said Beasley doesn’t want to be publicly tied to Biden’s policies. However, Eric Heberlig, a political science professor at UNC Charlotte, said it was probably more about optics.
“For Biden to visit here and have pictures of Beasley and Biden together would easily show up in Budd’s TV ads, and that’s what Beasley is trying to prevent,” Heberlig said.
President Biden speaks with Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania John Fetterman, Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
President Biden said he campaigned with 15 midterm candidates. He visited candidates in mostly reliable blue states like California, Oregon and Colorado. Then there is Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania isn’t really blue, but Biden was born there.
“So this connection with a local boy is enough to offset any criticism people have about Biden’s performance as president,” Heberlig said.
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Biden’s visit to Pennsylvania took place mostly behind closed doors. He went to a private fundraiser for Senate candidate John Fetterman.
President Biden speaks with Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania John Fetterman, Democratic candidate for the United States Senate, after departing Air Force One, Thursday, October 20, 2022.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Biden is heading to Florida next week to host a rally and fundraise with Democrats, including gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist. Heberlig said the visit was low risk because Democrats shouldn’t win anyway.
“While the visit probably won’t help Crist beat Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida will likely remain on a somewhat competitive slate in 2024, so Biden has an incentive to give him some personal attention,” Heberlig said.
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