Biden campaigns in Trump’s home state Florida while avoiding battlegrounds

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President Joe Biden is kicking off the final week before the midterms on Tuesday with a trip to Florida as Democrats brace for a potential Republican red wave in next week’s election. 

Biden boarded Air Force One for the flight south with a copy of Jon Meacham’s new book ‘And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle’.

The biography looks into how Lincoln prioritized his policies and ending slavery over his own future before the 1864 election and during the Civil War. 

Lincoln’s Republican party also performed poorly during the 1862 midterm elections, with the Democrats gaining several seats and ending their majority. 

Polls suggest Biden could be facing a similar fate with the 2022 midterms with polls suggesting Republicans will decisively take control of the House and have a path to winning a majority in the Senate.

‘Lincoln was a politician, but he was a politician who ultimately was driven by conscience,’ Meacham told NPR. ‘This is my entire argument in the book. If he had solely been a cynical political creature, he would have made radically different decisions at critical points.’

Biden will appear in Donald Trump‘s home state to blast ‘MAGA Republicans,’ who he claims want to cut social programs and increase taxes for the wealthy. 

Biden will be campaigning for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and Senate hopeful Val Demings in the Sunshine State even as he avoids some of the bigger battleground contests like Georgia, Nevada and Arizona.

Meacham's book looks at how Lincoln wanted to prioritize emancipation and democracy ahead of his own political future. Lincoln's Republican party also performed badly in the midterms

Meacham’s book looks at how Lincoln wanted to prioritize emancipation and democracy ahead of his own political future. Lincoln’s Republican party also performed badly in the midterms 

He'll appear in Donald Trump 's home state to blast 'MAGA Republicans,' who he claims want to cut social programs and increase taxes for the wealthy

He’ll appear in Donald Trump ‘s home state to blast ‘MAGA Republicans,’ who he claims want to cut social programs and increase taxes for the wealthy

Crist is trailing Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking a second term. And Deming is down against GOP Senator Marco Rubio in a contest that will help decide which party controls the Senate next year.

The president, who is battling low approval ratings, is trying to contrast how his Democrats will govern versus Republicans as voters prepare to head to the polls on Nov. 8. 

He will make his closing argument at stops in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Maryland over the next seven days. 

He’s not the only Democrat hitting the campaign trail. Jill Biden heads to Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Obama, meanwhile, will be in Nevada on Tuesday for Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who faces a tough re-election campaign and he heads to Arizona on Wednesday to campaign for Senator Mark Kelly.

In Florida, Biden will blast Republicans over proposals to undo prescription drug price caps and change Social Security and Medicare – topics of interest to its older population of retirees. 

The president has made Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott’s policy proposals a boogeyman in the election, calling out the senator by name in his criticism of the GOP. 

Scott, who heads the Republicans’ campaign committee for Senate races, has laid out a plan that would put Medicare, Social Security and other government programs up for a vote every five years.

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University of North Florida pollster Michael Binder told the Palm Beach Post that Biden’s visit might be ‘six months too late,’ because millions of Florida voters have already cast their ballots in early voting. 

Election forecasters see Republicans having a strong chance of winning control of the House of Representatives. The Senate is seen as more up for grabs.

Winning control of even one chamber of Congress would allow the GOP to stymie Biden’s legislative agenda for the next two years. 

Trump, meanwhile, will hold a rally in Miami on Sunday although he’ll be campaigning for Republicans in general. DeSantis, who is rumored to a 2024 presidential contender, is not scheduled to appear with him. 

President Biden is not appearing in battlegrounds like Georgia, Arizona and Nevada but Barack Obama will be in Nevada on Tuesday and Arizona on Wednesday; above former President Obama campaigns in Wisconsin on Saturday

President Biden is not appearing in battlegrounds like Georgia, Arizona and Nevada but Barack Obama will be in Nevada on Tuesday and Arizona on Wednesday; above former President Obama campaigns in Wisconsin on Saturday

Florida has become an increasingly difficult state for Democrats to win. Trump carried it in 2016 and 2020. 

DeSantis capitalized on anti-covid sentiments to push back against shut down restrictions and signed legislation against vaccine mandates.

Biden is looking to drive up voter turn out but is staying away from most of the battleground states.

The president hasn’t been to Arizona, Nevada or Georgia – three states that helped put in the White House – nor is he expected to.  All three states have closely-contested Senate races.

Donald Trump will hold a rally for Republicans on Sunday in Miami

Donald Trump will hold a rally for Republicans on Sunday in Miami

The president will join Barack Obama in Philadelphia on Saturday to campaign for gubernatorial candidate Josh Shaprio and Senate contender John Fetterman. 

With the Senate currently sitting at 50-50 – and Vice President Kamala Harris providing the tie breaking vote – any race could decide which party is in the majority next  year.  

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