Jill Biden hailed her husband’s achievements in his two years in office and painted Tuesday’s midterm elections as “a choice between two drastic visions” for America as she wrapped up a weekend campaigning for the Democrats.
The first lady spent Sunday in Houston campaigning for local judge Lina Hidalgo, a rising young Latina star on the Democratic scene.
During her stops, she repeated President Biden’s criticism of Republicans and their plans to cut welfare programs while lowering taxes on the wealthy.
She described Tuesday’s election as “a choice between two drastically different visions for America.”
“This race will be close. You all know that. And the only way we can win is by voting,” she said.
“This is how we will win – with one vote cast: yours.”
Biden, who hails from Philly, had a lot to talk about the Houston Astros’ win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series the night before. But she didn’t show her disappointment with the game or predictions that Republicans could see a red wave of victories next week, which would complicate President Joe Biden’s next two years in office.
Election forecasters predict the House of Representatives will fall under GOP control on Nov. 8. The Senate has been seen as more of a tossup, but many believe he will blush. In the 50-50 Senate, where Vice President Kamal Harris casts the casting vote, each Senate race could see a Democrat or Republican lead.
Jill Biden campaigns in Houston, Texas with (from left) Congressman Al Green, Congressman Sheila Jackson-Lee and Judge Lina Hidalgo
Jill Biden visited two churches in Texas as part of her voting message
Jill Biden’s message in Texas – and on Saturday in Arizona – was clear: get out and vote.
“We have to use these two days to get the vote out. In just two years, Joe and the Democrats have accomplished so much. Just think about it,” she said at a fundraiser in Houston.
“They saved us from the chaos of the pandemic. Remember our schools were closed. We tried to get groceries – we washed them up outside our homes. Do you remember that? That was only two years ago. They have created millions of jobs.”
Democrats fear their November 8 voter base won’t be as strong, leading to President Joe Biden and Jill Biden being sent to many blue areas to try to bolster support.
Jill Biden’s stops were a combination of battlefield and areas her husband won: Wisconsin and Florida for competitive stops and the bluer areas of New York and Rhode Island.
An NBC News poll on Sunday found Democrats are level with Republicans’ enthusiasm, although President Biden remains unpopular and voters remain deeply unhappy with the state of the country.
After campaigning for embattled Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in Arizona on Saturday, Jill Biden spent Sunday in Houston helping a rising Latino star in the party.
The two women — along with Democratic Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee — spent Sunday visiting two local churches and a community center, with a stop for lunch at a soul-food restaurant, where the first lady enjoyed fried chicken, oxtails and collards.
“One vote can win an election, and one election can set a new course,” the first lady reminded voters.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is locked in a tough re-election campaign with well-funded GOP opponent Alexandra del Moral Mealer.
Mealer, a West Point graduate student and former Army captain who served in Afghanistan for a decade, has used Harris’ County’s high crime rates to get Hidalgo on the defense.
Like other major cities, Houston has seen a surge in violent crime, particularly homicides, amid the COVID pandemic.
Democrats see Hidalgo, 31, as a future superstar who could run for state office in Texas, a red state they hope to turn into a battleground — thanks largely to its strong Hispanic population.
Both women have brought in high-profile surrogates. Mealer is endorsed by former President George W. Bush. Hidalgo has the support of rapper Common and “Hamilton” creator Lin Manuel-Miranda.
Jill Biden, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee and Judge Lina Hidalgo made a surprise stop at a soul food restaurant in Houston
Jill Biden, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee and Judge Lina Hidalgo had lunch at the restaurant; The First Lady ordered fried chicken, oxtails and kale
Four years ago, Hidalgo unexpectedly ousted a popular Republican Ed Emmett in Texas’ third most populous borough to take the top local office. Harris County had become more Democratic in the last election.
Hidalgo also made a national name for herself when she faced Republican Gov. Greg Abbott during the Covid pandemic. She pushed for mask requirements and other restrictive measures.
But she faced criticism when three of her associates were charged with felonies in April for helping award an $11 million COVID vaccine contract to a political consulting firm headed by a Democratic strategist. Hidalgo later terminated the contract.
Hidalgo, in turn, seeks to link Mealer to Donald Trump and his false claim that he won the 2020 election.
Jill Biden’s support for Hidalgo comes as Democrats focus more on down-ballot racing.
The Sister District Project, in a study of ten state legislatures, found that Democrats would likely vote for their candidates at the top of the ticket — but neglect local races further down the ballot.