Jill Biden, the first lady of the White House, will campaign for Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey governors’ elections Friday. This is her first foray into politics since she arrived at the White House nine month ago.
This is yet another sign that Democrats are putting all their efforts into the upcoming elections. In Virginia, Terry McAuliffe seems to be in a closer race than expected. Jill Biden and other prominent party voices will follow her in the coming days. These include former President Barack Obama, Stacey Abrams (the former Georgia gubernatorial nominee who rose to national prominence) and Stacey Abrams.
Jill Biden will make her first campaign return since last year, when she volunteered to stump for her husband. She has traveled extensively across the country to promote issues such as public education and community college improvement, reopening schools after the pandemic, and encouraging people to get vaccinated.
This includes visits to red states such as Kansas, where she met Tuesday with leaders of the Hispanic community. Since Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 election, the state has not backed a Democrat for President.
She will be at the Friday afternoon early voting rally at Middlesex College, Edison, New Jersey. This is where Democratic incumbent Governor. Phil Murphy is believed to be in the lead. Later, she will attend an event in suburban Richmond (Virginia’s capital), alongside McAuliffe who is running for the position.
Murphy, a Republican candidate for New Jersey’s Assembly, has attempted to link his Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli to the hesitancy of former President Donald Trump about the COVID vaccination and mask-wearing as well as to Trump’s lies about last year’s election being stolen by widespread fraud.
The first lady’s visit to Virginia will be closely watched by the public. McAuliffe is a long-time Democratic Party powerbroker, friend of Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. He is currently battling off against Republican Glenn Youngkin, an ex-businessman and political newcomer.
Tammy R. Vigil is a professor at Boston University of media science. She said that first ladies have regularly traveled to support their party’s top candidates since Laura Bush, who, like many other presidential spouses, had higher approval ratings than his husband, began campaigning for key Republicans during the midterm elections.
Vigil, who is the author of a 2019 book about Melania Trump/Michelle Obama, said that “you get a lot more emotion for your buck.” She also explains how a “new age” of first wives has increased their political influence. You get the positive energy of her friendliness compared to her husband. You get her ability to discuss issues in different ways than an elected official. You also get a lot more of that relatability factor.
Jill Biden is a doctorate holder in English. She continues to teach English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has held a position since 2009. This makes her the first first lady to quit the White House to work full-time.
McAuliffe states that President Biden, who won Virginia by 10 percentage points last election, will be running for office in the coming days. In the meantime, President Biden has fallen to the lowest level of his White House tenure.
“The president wants former Gov. Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, stated that McAuliffe should be the next governor of Virginia.
She also seemed to try to lower expectations regarding whether Virginia’s next month will be an indicator for national Democratic struggles going into next year’s midterm election — when the party’s narrow control over both chambers is at stake.
Psaki stated, “I will let it be to other analysts to convey the fact that off-year election are often not a bellwether.” “We will do everything possible to help the former governor. McAuliffe
McAuliffe relies on women, particularly those living in areas where Republican candidates have seen their support decline under Trump. Vigil stated that this is exactly “the constituency for which you bring the first lady.”
Their whole persona is built around the idea of connecting to constituents. She said that she was particularly concerned about female constituents.
Vigil said, “It makes sense.”
As the president prepares to spend Friday in Connecticut, the first lady will be on his travels. He is trying to push a huge spending plan that Democrats have tried to force through Congress despite deep divisions among their ranks about the final price tag. He has been introduced at events as “Jill’s husband” and both candidate and president. This draws a lot of laughter and applause.
