President Biden’s re-election campaign considers wins in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania the clearest path to winning the state’s 270 electoral votes in November, according to an internal memo obtained by Congress.
A memo sent to the campaign team from Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said that what has changed since the debate is “the urgency and discipline needed to pursue” key initiatives, including having “multiple paths to 270 votes” and demonstrating the strength of Biden’s record.
“Most importantly, we maintain multiple paths to winning 270 electoral votes. At this time, winning the Blue Wall states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania) is the clearest path to that goal, but we believe the Sun Belt states are not out of reach,” the memo said. “The consensus from our internal surveys and public polling is that the top line in the Blue Wall states remains broadly within the margin of error.”
The memo also asserted that only Biden could beat former President Trump, and argued that polls that looked at the support of other Democrats over Biden were “not trustworthy.”
“While we believe there is a clear path forward, there is also no indication that any other candidate could win over President Trump. Hypothetical polling of alternative candidates is always unreliable, and the surveys do not take into account the negative media environment that a Democratic candidate would face,” the memo said. “The only Democratic candidate for whom this is already built in is President Biden.”
The White House also called the debate a “setback” but expressed optimism that Biden can move forward. Meanwhile, 11 sitting Democratic senators, including Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont), have called on Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, and the White House faces ongoing questions about his age and fitness.
“No one will deny that the debate was a setback, but Joe Biden and this campaign have overcome setbacks before,” the memo said. “We are clear about what we need to do to win, and we will do so by moving forward united as a party, focused on defeating Donald Trump, every day from now through Election Day.”
He also said that while there was “certainly more anxiety after the debate,” he did not believe there had been a dramatic change in the polls. ABC/Ipsos Poll Biden and Trump were tied on Thursday.
The memo said Biden has rallied in Madison and Philadelphia to rally supporters in his bid to win Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and is scheduled to travel to Detroit on Friday. Additionally, Vice President Harris will visit Nevada on Tuesday and North Carolina on Thursday, while First Lady Jill Biden will visit Georgia, North Carolina and Florida on Monday.
