Congressional Democrats have concerns about President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, with some calling for a new approach — or risk Donald Trump returning to the White House.
Some veteran Democrats see a campaign that needs stronger leadership, more diversity and a stronger message. While they credit Biden for building what they called a successful first term, Democratic members said they are concerned about the campaign’s ability to win over skeptical independents and frustrated Democratic voters.
Some senior members of Biden’s party have raised concerns about the campaign’s construction, strategy and messaging. They said the president and his campaign team need to spend more time explaining how his administration is fighting still-nagging inflation and talking about conservative Supreme Court justices’ 2022 decision to roll back Roe v. Wade and its federal abortion rights protections.
The bottom line is the Biden campaign needs to connect with voters and convince them that the president — not the legally entangled Trump — is more focused on improving their finances and lives, Democratic members said last week, before Trump steamrolled to victory in Iowa’s first-of-the-cycle GOP presidential nominating contest.
“Well, I think those of us who helped Joe Biden get elected president are not real comfortable at this point with what we’re seeing,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said last week. “It just appears that the people who were engaged in helping craft the message and direction of the 2020 campaign are not actively involved in this campaign.
“Now, that doesn’t mean — it’s not too late to broaden the participation. But I think part of that discomfort is, in order to win, you have to have your best team effort,” Thompson added. “That team effort includes who he has, but he also needs men and women of color in the room, Latino, Asian. I think it’s that the tent is too small…
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