Endangered Democrats avoid Biden debate controversy before tight Senate races
Several incumbent Democrats who are fighting to win re-election in November have been reluctant to sound off on President Biden’s debate performance against former President Trump last month or whether he should be the Democratic nominee.
Democratic senators in competitive re-election races have avoided sounding off on Biden’s debate performance.
“Senator Rosen is focused on her own re-election campaign and continuing her track record as one of the most bipartisan, independent and effective Senators,” the statement continued, without mentioning Biden.
“Considering she has voted with Joe Biden on 100% of his disastrous Bidenomics policies, it is hardly surprising that Jacky Rosen refuses to call for him to step down as leader of her party, regardless of how impaired he appears to be,” said Kristy Wilkinson, a spokesperson for Sam Brown, the Republican Senate candidate in Nevada and a former U.S. Army captain.
“Sen. Baldwin’s silence speaks volumes. After voting with him 95.5% of the time, we can only assume Sen. Baldwin still thinks President Biden is fit for the job—a fact that says as much about her judgment as her rubber stamp support for the failed inflation-and-open-borders Biden agenda,” said Ben Voelkel, spokesperson for Wisconsin Republican Senate frontrunner Eric Hovde, in a statement.
Tester, whose race is rated as a “Toss Up” by non-partisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report, alongside those of Rosen and Brown, didn’t comment on the debate or Biden’s status on the ticket to a local Montana outlet either. The Wisconsin and Pennsylvania races are considered “Lean Democratic.”
However, a Tester spokesperson reportedly told the Montana Free Press, “Sen. Tester has always worked with President Trump when it was good for Montana and stands up to President Biden when it doesn’t work for Montana. He’ll do whatever it takes to defend Montana regardless of who is in the White House,” while avoiding questions about Biden’s performance and likely position as the Democratic nominee.
Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy.
In Ohio, Brown told reporters following the debate that he was focused on his own race and not on the presidency.
When Casey was prompted by reporters following the debate, he said, “He had a bad night and debate, but I think people know what’s at stake.” But the senator did not elaborate.
In a video shared to X by Casey opponent Dave McCormick’s campaign, the senator did not answer a question on whether Biden was still fit to be president.
As both Biden and the vulnerable senators fight for re-election in critical swing states, the president has seen a drop in post-debate polls from the New York Times and Siena College and the Wall Street Journal. Among registered voters in the former survey, Trump won 49%-41%. With the same group in the latter, Trump similarly defeated the president 48%-42%.
