Fresh off a landslide victory in the Democratic primary in South Carolina, President Biden rallied his supporters in Nevada on Sunday, saying he kept his promise to the black and Hispanic voters who helped elect him.
Biden spoke at a community center in Las Vegas' historic West Side neighborhood, home to the critical battleground state's African American community. He touted statistics on reducing poverty among black, Hispanic and indigenous children, talked about the growth of minority-owned businesses and said former President Donald J. Trump that immigrants “taint the blood” of the United States. attacked.
But he seemed to acknowledge that many voters were skeptical about his performance as president at a time when his approval rating was below 40 percent.
“I know, I know, we still have a lot of work to do,” Biden said. “Not everyone is feeling the benefits of our investments and progress yet.”
The president is working to shore up support among black and Hispanic voters, who make up key Democratic constituencies, as Trump, his likely Republican opponent in November, seeks to infiltrate both groups.
Nevada's Democratic primary will be held on Tuesday, making it the party's second official nomination contest after South Carolina. But Biden faces little opposition here. One of the most likely challengers, Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who finished third in South Carolina on Saturday behind self-help author Marianne Williamson, will not even appear on the ballot. Dew.
Instead, Biden visited on Sunday with an eye on the general election. Nevada has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 2008, including Biden in 2020, but remains a battleground state that has recently elected a Republican governor. A November New York Times/Siena poll found Biden with a 10-point lead over Trump in Nevada.
The president's allies are working to support him. A pro-Biden super PAC recently announced it would secure $250 million in ad spending in seven battleground states, including Nevada, a record amount.
Nevada campaign manager Shelby Wiltz said in a statement that the state's “diverse community” provided Biden with the White House.
In his narrow victory in Nevada four years ago, Biden was greatly helped by the state's influential unions representing workers in the hospitality and casino industries. Many of those workers are Hispanic. Trump said in Las Vegas last month that Biden had “destroyed the Latino community” economically and that Hispanics had “been better off” economically under Trump.
Biden last visited Nevada in December, when he announced $8.2 billion in funding for passenger rail projects. He criticized Trump's approach to infrastructure, saying the former president failed to deliver. The Biden campaign is pushing hard for a bipartisan infrastructure bill that Biden has championed as a cudgel against Trump, but it could be years before voters see the results of those projects.
Democratic National Committeeman Artie Blanco of Nevada called Biden “the most pro-worker president we've ever seen,” but said Biden and his campaign are “not sure what Biden will do.” “We need to make sure the working class knows what has been done.”
As Mr. Trump looks increasingly likely to win the Republican nomination, Mr. Biden has shifted into campaign mode, holding rallies touting his administration's accomplishments. So far, he has faced little difficulty in the primary. He won New Hampshire last month as a write-in candidate and also won 96% of the vote in South Carolina.
On Saturday, Biden met with Black entertainment industry leaders at a fundraiser at the mansion of “Star Wars” director George Lucas in Los Angeles before heading to Las Vegas the next day.
Biden also took time over the weekend to celebrate the birthdays of his sons Beau and Hunter.
On the Saturday before leaving for the West Coast, he visited the site of Beau's grave in Delaware. Beau Biden, who was born on February 3, passed away in 2015 at the age of 46.
On Sunday, Biden had brunch with Hunter, who celebrated his 54th birthday on February 4, at a restaurant in Los Angeles. Hunter Biden has been indicted on two federal criminal charges and could go to trial in the midst of his presidential campaign.
