Biden closes midterm campaign with standard themes and pro-Democratic race

Biden brought the energy: The raucous crowd of students, including a large cheering team and the concert choir representing the oldest historically black university in the state, pepped up his step as he was on stage. But his words didn’t deviate much from his stock speech, which he worked through quickly.

“You have one day until one of the most important elections,” Biden said. “Our lives are going to be shaped by what happens over the next three years. It’s going to shape what the next two decades are going to look like.

Rolling up his shirt sleeves, Biden ran through the progress his administration has made on the economy, including an unequivocal shot at former President Donald Trump’s record in power. Biden wrapped up his 2022 midterm push in the state where he unofficially kicked off the Democrats push at the end August, rally for the party’s candidate for governor of Maryland, Wes Moore. At the time, it would have been hard to imagine that the president’s final presidential campaign destination would be in a deeply Democratic area, but the political winds remained against the White House in the final weeks of the midterm. .

Vice President Kamala Harris also spent the eve of the election in Democratic territory, campaigning in her home state of California on Monday — another signal that frontline candidates wanted to keep their party standard bearers at bay.

The president, flanked by first lady Jill Biden, delivered his final campaign message in an upbeat tone ahead of what is expected to be a tough night for his party, as forecasts call for a House leaning Republican and a Senate leaning Republican. potential GOP takeover.

“Remember that the power is in your hands. You are one of the reasons I have never been more optimistic about America’s future,” the president said. “As I travel through this country and the world, I see a great nation because I know we are good people. We just have to remember who the hell we are. We are the United States of America.

In keeping with his campaign’s closing theme, the president focused Monday night’s speech on economic issues and threats to the nation’s democracy. Tuesday will be the first time Americans vote since the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and Biden warned that democracy itself was on the ballot, a nod to the number of candidates refusing the election and who seem likely to win.

But he also issued familiar notes focused on his administration’s accomplishments over the past two years, from massive infrastructure bills and climate and health care spending to canceling student debt, decriminalizing marijuana and the appointment of the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

While Biden bristled with suggestions that he was not wanted on the trail, the president’s advisers repeatedly said they would send him where he was invited and claimed the president was there. comfortable with this focused role. On Monday, he used the speech as something of a capstone for a half-term marked by lingering doubts about his ability to deliver on his promises, followed by even incremental legislative successes.

Former President Donald Trump is also expected to rally on politically safe ground in Dayton, Ohio on Monday night with Republican JD Vance. Vance and Democrat Tim Ryan, who has distanced himself from his party, are engaged in a close battle for the Senate.

Chatter surfaced earlier Monday that Trump was considering announcing his 2024 presidential bid on the eve of the election. It remains unclear what Trump will do, and he is known to have stirred up suspense only to change course after consulting advisers.