Judging from the poll numbers, there aren’t a lot of key states where Biden is going to be a big help.
In late August, we were told that a new and improved, reinvigorated, charged-up President Joe Biden was “embracing the role of the Democratic Party’s top campaigner” and “that the president’s advisers are betting that he can help Democratic candidates despite the drag on his popularity.” You could be forgiven for being skeptical, as Biden’s job-approval rating had increased a bit, but was still in the low 40s.
And Biden has indeed done a lot of Democratic National Committee dinners and fundraisers. Unsurprisingly, wealthy Democratic donors are still willing to pay up to sit in a house or banquet hall and hear the president speak.
But you notice Biden is rarely appearing with Democratic candidates or holding rallies in key states. One scheduled Biden appearance at a fundraiser on behalf of Charlie Crist was postponed due to Hurricane Ian.
From looking at the president’s schedule, you would never know the midterms are a month away. Biden had one event this weekend, attending the Phoenix Awards dinner in Washington. He had no public events the previous weekend, either.
It is possible that Biden’s campaign schedule will get busier in the coming weeks, but . . . it’s October already.
I notice Vice President Kamala Harris has no public events scheduled today, either.
Judging by the Civiqs poll numbers, there aren’t a lot of key states where Biden is going to be a big help. Biden’s job approval rating is 44 percent in New Hampshire; 41 percent in Wisconsin; 40 percent in Pennsylvania; 39 percent in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, and North Carolina; 38 percent in Nevada; 36 percent in Georgia; 34 percent in Ohio; 32 percent in Texas (sorry, Beto); 27 percent in Utah (sorry, Evan McMullin). Woof. The White House could try to send Biden to some deep-blue corner of one of those states, but Democratic candidates probably want to limit how closely they’re associated with Biden right now.