President Biden’s campaign is looking to raise big money in the Big Apple on Thursday, pulling out all the stops for a massive fundraiser that will reunite him with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as a host of celebrities. .
The star-studded night comes as the Biden campaign looks to raise a huge amount of money by the end of the quarter to further solidify its lead over former President Trump in the cash race. It also serves as a preview of what names Biden will rely on to drum up enthusiasm among Democratic voters in the November election.
The event is expected to draw more than 5,000 supporters and raise more than $25 million, according to the campaign.
“The Democratic Party is united and energized behind President Biden’s re-election campaign, and that will be on full display this Thursday in New York City,” Biden campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said in a statement. Ta.
“Donald Trump doesn’t have the energy to become a general. The vast majority of Republican primary voters have made it clear they have no intention of voting for him this November, and Republican leaders like the vice president “They openly oppose him, and even if Trump wanted to be president (which he doesn’t!), he doesn’t have the money or energy to do so,” Muñoz continued. I did. “Elections are won by efforts to build broad and diverse coalitions, and Joe Biden is doing just that.”
Thursday’s fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall will be a rare occasion when Biden, Obama and Clinton will be in the same room.
This also reflects support for Biden among prominent Democrats, including former President George W. Bush, Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Former Vice President Dick Cheney endorsed Trump.
According to campaign officials, the event was led by Biden campaign co-chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, finance chair Rufus Gifford, Biden Victory Fund finance chair Chris Koji, and Anna Wintour.
Notable guests scheduled to attend include Mindy Kaling, Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Lea Michele and more. Late-night host Stephen Colbert will moderate the conversation with Biden, Obama and Clinton.
Select guests will have the opportunity to take photos with the three presidents photographed by Annie Lebowitz, and Julie Chavez Rodriguez of the Biden campaign will moderate a virtual conversation with the three leaders.
“We understand that it’s important for the three of us to be together. This is going to be a significant event,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “They are presidents… who believe in what we are trying to do.”
Thursday night’s event, coupled with strong fundraising numbers after Biden’s State of the Union address, could potentially raise eye-popping amounts by the campaign in the first quarter of this year. This will allow the Biden campaign to invest heavily in advertising and field resources in battleground states as the Trump campaign lags behind.
According to election filings, the Trump campaign had about $42 million in cash on hand since the start of March, while the Biden campaign had $155 million in cash on hand since the start of March.
The Trump campaign on Wednesday tried to raise money from Biden’s fundraiser itself, emailing supporters about an event featuring Biden, Obama, Clinton and “Trump-hating talk show host Stephen Colbert.” sent.
“I want Obama to cry, but that won’t happen unless we all work together!!!” Be sure to read about the fundraiser.
Polls released in recent days also show Mr. Biden narrowing his lead over Mr. Trump, particularly in key battleground states that are likely to decide the outcome of the election.
A Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll released Tuesday showed Mr. Biden leading Mr. Trump by 1 percentage point in Wisconsin, and the two candidates were tied in Michigan and Pennsylvania. The same poll showed Trump leading in Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina, but Biden won by large margins.
A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found that in a head-to-head contest between major party candidates, 48% supported Biden and 45% supported Trump. These numbers reflect a slight change from February, when the same poll showed Biden leading Trump 49-45.
With more than seven months until Election Day, strategists on both sides are adamant that the November race will be close regardless of the outcome of the polls. But Democrats believe Biden has put himself in a strong position with impressive fundraising and frequent public appearances in recent weeks.
“There is no question that Mr. Biden delivered a powerful State of the Union address, and most importantly, he emphasized to voters that he has the energy and acumen to run an aggressive campaign. ,” said Jim Kessler, Left’s executive vice president for policy. Center Think Tank Third Way.
“But beyond that speech, what’s happening is that there’s actually a contest going on,” he added. “Biden is appearing in battleground states touting his record and contrasting Trump with both content and values. Voters are only now remembering the chaotic four years of the Trump administration. And Biden has some stories about Trump that are more positive and some that are more negative.”
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