President Joe Biden and his team are embarking on a vigorous campaign trail, visiting battleground states and expanding their staff as they aim to solidify support and seize the offensive in the upcoming election.
Fresh off his State of the Union address, President Biden and his senior aides are set to tour the country, beginning with visits to Pennsylvania and Georgia, two critical battleground states that he flipped in 2020 and hopes to keep in his column this November. The president will then move on to Wisconsin and Michigan next week.
Vice President Kamala Harris is also actively campaigning, with planned trips to Arizona to promote reproductive rights and Nevada for her own campaign stop.
The Biden reelection campaign is buoyant after the State of the Union speech, announcing plans to visit every major swing state in the coming days. They are also launching a $30 million, six-week advertising campaign on TV and digital platforms, targeting key themes from the State of the Union to Black, Asian, and Hispanic communities. This push includes advertising during the NCAA basketball tournament to leverage high ratings, as they did with an ad during the recent Grammy awards.
The campaign expects to expand its staff from 100 members in seven battleground states to more than 350 by the end of the month. They also plan to open more than 100 field offices.
In contrast, Trump’s campaign is targeting the same battleground states, aiming to flip Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona after 2020 defeats there. They are also fending off Biden’s efforts to make inroads in North Carolina and Florida.
The Biden campaign sees an opportunity to hit Trump hard, especially as he may be struggling to consolidate his party after the primary. They note that Trump has not shown a focus on expanding his base of voters.
The campaign reported its best fundraising hour since its launch in 2023 following the State of the Union address, with subsequent hours also setting new records. However, the exact amount of money collected was not disclosed.
The Trump campaign has also been active, using the primary campaign to try to seize momentum heading into November. A Super PAC backing Trump released an ad highlighting Biden’s age and questioning his ability to serve a full term.
Biden’s campaign countered, stating that rather than a contrast of age with the 77-year-old Trump, Biden is offering a stark policy choice with his predecessor. They emphasized that Trump’s ideas are “old as hell” and would take the country backward.
Cabinet secretaries and senior White House officials are also traveling to amplify Biden’s message, visiting swing states as well as rural areas such as Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. They are focusing on promoting key investments in communities nationwide, with a particular emphasis on climate policy. This includes efforts to transition to a clean energy economy and promote infrastructure improvements such as bridge repairs.
Overall, President Biden and his team are ramping up their efforts to secure a second term, with a strong focus on campaigning in key battleground states and highlighting their policy achievements to the electorate.
