Forget Joe Biden and Barack Obama, the real Dem force was JILL BIDEN as predicted Red Wave fizzles
Jill Biden is racking up a strong track record. Several Democratic candidates kept Joe Biden at an arms' distance due to his low approval ratings, but his wife proved a popular surrogate on the campaign trail.
At age 71, the First Lady doesn't look like she's running out of steam anytime soon. She has descended onto tougher races than her husband, especially in states where Democrats are not particularly popular, such as the narrow race of Sen Mark Kelly in Arizona, as well as two unexpected battleground races on Long Island. Jill's relentless campaigning is a testament to her popularity as the most sought-after surrogate in the administration, eclipsing Vice President Kamala Harris who is struggling with approval ratings. She has proven her ability to track well with Democrats without being offensive to undecided voters or Republicans, coupled with the notion that President Biden's presence is not always a plus at campaign events.
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Thus far, Jill Biden has done a stellar job at holding the fort for her party -- and has arguably been a lot more effective than her husband or his predecessor Barack Obama. Several Democrat candidates benefited from her endorsement, including Tony Evers, who won a second term as Governor in Wisconsin, Seth Magaziner, who took home the Rhode Island House race, Rep Jennifer Wexton, who retained her House seat in Virginia, as well as Maggie Hassan, who won re-election in the New Hampshire Senate race.
On the other hand, President Biden appears to be taking the back seat. He spent the day before the election doing virtual events from the White House, while his wife hit the campaign trail in Virginia. The First Lady traveled to more than a dozen states in the past month, appearing at occasional events about her personal initiatives but mostly promoting Democrat accomplishments in areas where the votes would count. In the same period, her husband traveled to just 10 states, according to CNN.
It's safe to say that the administration put Jill in charge of bringing home the races that would determine Democrat control in Congress. In contrast, the only critical race President Biden campaigned for was John Fetterman against Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania. The commander-in-chief, 79, has tended to visit deep blue areas where issues such as inflation and gas prices will not affect Democrats' chances of winning. Meanwhile, he hasn't been to places like Georgia, Arizona, or Wisconsin, the Washington Post reported.
“She has done 11 fundraising events for the DNC," a DNC spokesperson told CNN, applauding Jill's efforts on the campaign trail. "Events, emails, SMS, and direct mail signed by her have brought in millions of dollars for the DNC to support Democrats up and down the ticket," they added. “One might even argue that she is more relatable than Mrs. Bush or Mrs. Obama to women voters who are juggling identities as wives and mothers with their workplace role,” Katherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University who has extensively studied first ladies, told CNN of the midterm campaign popularity of Laura Bush and Michelle Obama.
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It's worth noting that President Biden will turn 80 in less than two weeks after Election Day. His mental agility and acuity have been questioned by many across the political aisle, especially former President Donald Trump, who frequently plays video reels of his successor's slip-ups and gaffes at his rallies. Amid concerns that Joe Biden is too old to be in charge of the country, his wife paints a picture of a person not hindered by age.
“Her focus has been on the Biden administration’s record of achievements, so in that way, it is a theme of competence and accomplishment,” Jellison told CNN, “which I’m sure she and others hope will translate as positive indications of the president’s physical and mental health.”