Biden To Resume In-Person Campaigning In Battleground States After Labor Day

TOPLINE

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Thursday that he plans to begin holding in-person campaign events in battleground states as he pivots to the general election, adding that events will adhere to state coronavirus laws.

KEY FACTS

Chief Critic

Trump campaign advisor Jason Miller asserted that the move is a sign of fear from the Biden campaign. “Our polling & recent public polling showing we’re tied are both right: state is in play & we have a great chance to flip it,” he said of Minnesota, also claiming that the Biden team is “clearly rattled by #HidenBiden criticism.”

Big Number

$70 million. While he may prefer in-person events, he won’t need in-person fundraisers to rake in heaps of donor cash. The campaign says it brought in a staggering haul of $70 million on the week of the Democratic convention. A fundraiser of about 25 donors last week, featuring Quibi Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and actor George Clooney, netted an eye-popping $7 million, the campaign said.

What To Watch For

While the list of states Biden listed may not be exhaustive, it does signal where the Biden campaign sees both its opportunities and vulnerabilities. Arizona, once a solidly red state, has seen a considerable shift towards Biden, who has led in most polls of the state in recent months. On the flip side the Biden campaign appears concerned about a recent slate of polls showing a tight race in Minnesota, which has typically gone for Democrats in recent cycles but went for Hillary Clinton by just 1.5 points in 2016.