President Joe Biden’s campaign is entering a new phase this month with trips to two crucial Democratic strongholds, Nevada and Michigan. Both states are home to important constituencies that the campaign needs to solidify ahead of the November elections. For Biden, this marks his first major foray outside of South Carolina, where he recently made a direct appeal to Black voters.
The move to prioritize Nevada and Michigan is part of a broader strategy to focus on the party’s more diverse coalition and marks a departure from the traditional nominating calendar, which had prioritized predominantly white states like Iowa and New Hampshire. Biden’s team believes that this new approach will help the party secure victory in November.
According to Quentin Fulks, Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager, the campaign’s message to diverse communities is twofold: they have the most at stake in this election, and Biden has done more for them than any other president or administration. By reaching out to these communities directly, the campaign hopes to build a broad-based coalition that can carry Biden over the finish line in November.
However, Biden’s campaign faces some immediate challenges. In Nevada, he must court Latino voters while simultaneously negotiating a border funding bill that includes stricter immigration policies, something that is opposed by many Hispanic leaders. In Michigan, the campaign must tread carefully due to the state’s sizable Arab American population, which has been critical of Biden’s staunch support for Israel.
The campaign is taking a multifaceted approach to engage on these issues. Biden plans to address some of these matters directly during his visits, but the campaign is also using surrogates, direct communication, and paid advertising to deliver its message to voters.
By focusing on the diverse communities that make up the Democratic Party’s base, Biden’s campaign hopes to energize voters and build momentum for November. The strategy reflects a broader shift within the Democratic Party, which has recognized the importance of bringing together a diverse coalition in order to win national elections.
