WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Jill Biden is launching her husband’s campaign to reach out to older voters, combining rallies and phone calls with social events such as bingo nights and pickleball games.
While President Joe Biden is in Italy attending the G7 summit, the first lady will travel to four swing states to launch the “Seniors for Biden-Harris” initiative. Older adults vote more frequently than the average American and make up a larger share of the population in some key swing states. Biden, who performed better among this demographic than previous Democrats in 2020, is looking to build on his gains as his campaign tries to maximize its chances of defeating former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.
Jill Biden’s travels will take her to Green Bay, Wisconsin, Duluth, Minnesota, Reno, Nevada and Phoenix, the campaign said. While her events will feel like conventional rallies, the campaign is also planning pickleball events and bingo nights to engage older voters and keep them energetic so they can facilitate the campaign into November.
“Seniors are such an important part of our coalition, and it’s critical that we engage them this election cycle because they know President Biden is the only candidate in this race fighting for lower prescription drug and health care costs and protecting and safeguarding Medicare and Social Security,” said Biden’s campaign manager Julia Chavez Rodriguez. “Dr. Biden is both a trusted voice for seniors speaking on the issues that matter most to them and a mobilizing force to activate our supporters ahead of the election.”
Jill Biden had spent much of the past 10 days in a federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, supporting her son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of a weapons offense on Tuesday. The move marks her return to the campaign trail after what was a challenging experience for her family.
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