Why Biden is campaigning in blue New Mexico days before the midterms
by Alex Gangitano and Brett Samuels - 11/03/22 6:00 AM ET
President Biden is heading to New Mexico, a typically blue stronghold that is hosting a tight gubernatorial race but hasn’t been closely watched this midterm cycle.
Biden’s trip out west this week, just a few days before Election Day, also includes a stop in California — but notably bypasses Arizona and Nevada, where a pair of close Senate races could help determine control of the upper chamber.
Strategists say that’s emblematic of Biden’s and Democrats’ midterm calculus of where he can be most useful.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) is in a competitive reelection bid against Republican challenger Mark Ronchetti, who is endorsed by former President Trump. A recent poll shows her holding a 3 percentage point lead over Ronchetti in a state that has voted for every Democratic presidential nominee since 1992, except for 2004.
The president was in Florida on Tuesday, the last red state on his itinerary before Election Day. After his trip out west, he’ll be in Pennsylvania, which he considers a second home, on Saturday, and blue Maryland on Monday.
Some strategists pointed to Biden seemingly avoiding states where he — and Democratic candidates — fear he’ll do more harm than good.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3716256-why-biden-is-campaigning-in-blue-new-mexico-days-before-the-midterms/
