President Joe Biden on Monday stopped by the Democrats’ campaign headquarters in Washington, making a final pitch for lawmakers from his party as robust early voting continues two weeks before midterm election day.
“We’re just 15 days until one of the most important elections in our lifetime,” he told staffers, volunteer organizers and grassroots donors at the Democratic National Committee headquarters.
“And it’s going to shape the way this country looks like for the coming decade.”
Biden said he had traveled to 31 congressional districts in the run-up to the elections and that he planned to go to “a bunch” more in the next two weeks.
He went to Pennsylvania last Thursday and Delaware Friday; he’ll participate in virtual receptions for lawmakers in Nevada, Iowa and Pennsylvania this week before stopping in New York Thursday and on Friday again Pennsylvania — the state he’s visited most.
Already, about 7.7 million people have voted before election day, according to the U.S. Elections Project.
Biden at the DNC Monday gave what he called his “closing argument” for Democrats in the final days of campaigns across the country.
“If we get people out to vote, we win. And you’re getting them out to vote,” he said.
The president drew a contrast between his administration’s accomplishments — the massive infrastructure law, a strong jobs market and efforts to lower health care costs — with Republicans’ campaign promises.
He specifically called out lawmakers like Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., who want to put programs like Social Security and Medicare up for reauthorization from Congress periodically, putting them at risk
“Republicans have made it clear. At least they’re being honest around this time. They’re telling you exactly what they want to do if they win. They’re going to increase everyday costs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Biden has taken much of the blame for higher costs in recent months, with inflation persisting at the highest levels in decades and gas prices spiking up once again this month.
According to a recent CBS-YouGov poll, 65% of voters say the economy is getting worse, and 68% said the Biden administration could be doing more to combat inflation. A New York Times/Siena poll found the economy and inflation are the top concerns for voters.
The president Monday chose to focus on his efforts to lower prices, especially for prescription drugs, by capping insulin and drug costs for seniors on Medicare as part of the Democrats-only climate, health care and tax bill passed late this summer.
He also compared that bill’s higher taxes on corporations, making them “pay their fair share,” to Republicans preference to cut taxes on the wealthy.
“Democrats are building a better America for everyone, for the economy that grows from the bottom up and the middle out, where everyone does well,” he said.
“Republicans are doubling down on their mega ‘MAGA’ trickle-down economics that benefits the very wealthy,” Biden added.
