Biden takes reelection soft rollout to Wisconsin following State of the Union
Christian Datoc
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President Joe Biden will travel to Wisconsin, a key presidential swing state, Wednesday, where he will expand on the economic themes voiced in his 2023 State of the Union.
Biden won Wisconsin by just over 20,000 votes in 2020, and some Democrats are concerned the party is losing support from blue-collar, Rust Belt voters heading into the 2024 cycle.
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On Wednesday, Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks and visit with the Madison-area Laborers’ International Union of North America. The president has long considered himself a strong union ally, and those themes featured heavily Tuesday night.
Biden spent nearly 10 minutes Tuesday night on highlighting the role the bipartisan infrastructure law is playing in bringing “good paying union” jobs to cities across the country. He specifically honored Saria Gwin-Maye, a union ironworker from Cincinnati, during his remarks.
“For 30 years, she’s been a proud member of Ironworkers Local 44, known as the “cowboys of the sky” who built the Cincinnati skyline. Sara said she can’t wait to be ten stories above the Ohio River building that new bridge,” Biden waxed. “That’s what we’re also building. Pride.”
The president also urged Congress to help him “finish the job” on restoring America’s manufacturing dominance.
“Where is it written that America can’t lead the world in manufacturing again?,” Biden said, and he is expected to make that same pitch to Wisconsin voters on Wednesday.
Biden has yet to formally announce his reelection bid, but White House officials, including outgoing chief of staff Ron Klain, have suggested his campaign will officially launch shortly after the State of the Union.
Still, recent polling shows the public’s staggeringly poor perception of the president, even after bipartisan legislative successes and Democrats beating expectations in the midterm elections.
According to a poll from NBC News, 46% of registered voters approve of the job Biden has done as president, 36% approve of his economic stewardship, and just 41% approve of his foreign policy.
Even more troubling for Biden, who frequently frames modern politics as a battle for the “soul” of the country, is his scoring in idealistic areas.
Asked if Biden is “honest and trustworthy,” just 34% responded affirmatively. Only 32% believe he has “the ability to handle a crisis,” and 31% view him as “competent and effective.” Furthermore, a dismal 28% view Biden as “having the necessary mental and physical health to be president.”
As for “uniting the country,” the president won approval from just 23% of all respondents.
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These feelings, according to a separate poll published Sunday by the Washington Post, are driving an outright majority of Democrats to wish someone other than the current president receives the Democratic nomination this coming election.
Only 31% of Democrats are backing a Biden reelection campaign, 13 points lower than Republicans who support former President Donald Trump‘s third White House bid.