President Joe Biden returns to the campaign trail for the first time in six weeks on Monday, kicking off a series of appearances in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has taken over as the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer for the 2024 election, Fox News reports.
Biden and Harris will team up at a Labor Day event in Pittsburgh, a union stronghold and key battleground state. This marks the beginning of a concerted effort to bolster Harris’s campaign in seven crucial swing states.
The White House has confirmed that Biden will be actively campaigning for Harris, focusing on core constituencies and highlighting the administration’s investments in manufacturing, infrastructure, and clean energy.
Biden’s decision to step down from the 2024 presidential race in July came after a disappointing debate performance against Donald Trump and mounting pressure from within his own party. However, since stepping aside, Biden has remained a vocal supporter of Harris, joining her at several events, including a White House announcement about lower prescription drug prices and a speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Harris has enjoyed a surge in popularity and fundraising since becoming the party’s standard-bearer, capitalizing on the momentum and energy surrounding her candidacy.
Biden remains popular with many within the Democratic base and has a long history of campaigning for fellow Democrats. He was a highly sought-after surrogate during the 2018 midterm elections, contributing significantly to the Democrats’ retaking of the House.
Sources close to Biden have confirmed that he will focus his campaigning efforts on Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, three crucial Rust Belt states that form the Democrats’ “Blue Wall.” These states played a major role in Biden’s victory in 2020, but were flipped by Trump in 2016.