LANSING, Mich. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s shaky debate performance reverberated among candidates on the November ballot Friday, but nervous Democratic candidates mostly kept their discomfort to themselves or downplayed it even as upbeat Republicans tried to seize the opening.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who faces a tough reelection bid against a Trump-backed Republican, distanced herself from Biden and did not answer questions Friday about the debate or calls to replace him first.
“Tammy Baldwin is running her own race for the people of Wisconsin,” said her campaign spokesman, Andrew Mamo, who later added, “Tammy is endorsing the president.”
With control of both houses of Congress at stake in November and Democrats defending far more Senate seats than Republicans, both parties understand what is at stake.
“It was a bad night for the president. I don’t think he did well in that debate. But I am confident that the president and our party can turn the tide,” said Rep. Ro Khanna of California, an alternate for Biden’s campaign. “And the top of the ticket is very important for lower ballot boxes, especially in swing districts.”
Meanwhile, the Republican Senate campaign arm tried to seize the moment, releasing a new ad Friday that linked Democrats to Biden’s debate performance. The video showed battleground Senate candidates Baldwin, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana defending Biden, interspersed with clips from his debate performance.
“Senate Democrats have supported Joe Biden for years despite his obvious mental deficiencies, now that the world can see he is unfit for the job. This disaster is their fault,” said Philip Letsou, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Michigan Democrats have enjoyed a lot of success lately, but are still defending an open Senate seat and face some close congressional elections.
“The debate performance matters, just like everything else that happens at the top of the ticket matters to people running for office,” said Adrian Hemond, a Democratic strategist in Michigan.
In Maryland, where Democrat Angela Alsobrooks faces a tough race against former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan for an open U.S. Senate seat, Gov. Wes Moore remained positive about her candidacy in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 surpass.
“What is clear to the people of Maryland is that Angela Alsobrooks has a vision for the future that affirms our freedoms. Abortion rights, economic opportunity, combating gun violence — these are the issues Angela will fight for in the Senate,” Moore said in a statement. “She will be the 51st voice in the United States Senate, protecting our Democratic majority.”
In Pennsylvania, some leading Democrats came to Biden’s defense, while Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who is defending his seat in November, remained silent.
Governor Josh Shapiro acknowledged that Biden had a bad debate, but said that doesn’t change the fact that Trump was a bad president. Democrats, including Biden, need to get that message across more clearly, Shapiro told CNN.
“I would say to all those people who are worried right now, ‘Go to work and stop worrying,’” Shapiro said.
Meanwhile, Senator John Fetterman – who won his seat after weathering a difficult 2022 debate while dealing with the effects of a stroke months earlier – took to social media, telling Democrats in profane terms to chill out .
“I refuse to join the Democratic vultures on Biden’s shoulder after the debate,” Fetterman said. “Nobody knows better than me that a rough debate is not the sum of the person and his or her record.”
The campaign of Casey’s opponent, Republican David McCormick, accused Casey of lying about Biden’s fitness to be president. McCormick suggested that Biden’s Cabinet should consider forcing him out of office, using the 25th Amendment.
“If what we saw last night is a reflection of what he looks like on a daily basis, when they’re sitting down with him to talk about how to deal with Iran, the possibility of Iran having a nuclear weapon, attacking American troops in Syria … if you’re secretary of defense or attorney general or secretary of state, you have a responsibility to say, ‘Hey, wait a minute, this guy is not up to the job,'” McCormick told KDKA radio in Pittsburgh.
Lower-ranking Democrats have exceeded expectations in swing states in recent years, especially in campaigns on issues like abortion. A red wave predicted in the 2022 midterm elections never materialized, as Democrats celebrated a majority in the Senate, key victories in gubernatorial races and a near victory over the House of Representatives.
“I think the most important thing at home is that they just want to know that we’re fighting for them,” said Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat from North Carolina.
Rep. Greg Landsman, a Democrat who is running for re-election after taking his Ohio district from a Republican in 2022, said his takeaway from the debate was: “I have to do the best job I can.”
He said he is still trying to decide how strongly he will support Biden and that he will take the measure of his voters.
“You go out, spend the weekend, listen to people and go from there,” he said. “It’s always been incredibly grounding.”
Meanwhile, House Republicans facing tough reelection campaigns were encouraged by Trump’s debate performance, saying voters would now focus on Biden’s age and the candidates’ policy records.
“I think the American people have seen what they know about President Trump from President Trump. Nothing surprised them last night,” said Rep. Marc Molinaro, who represents a New York district where Biden received more support in 2020. “I think the American people saw something in President Biden’s performance that they didn’t necessarily want to acknowledge.”
Molinaro said Trump’s ability to attract voters who might not otherwise vote could help him.
Another Republican running for re-election in a district where Biden previously held a majority, Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, said he is ready to back Trump.
“The president — the top of the ticket — sets the tone in many ways,” Cisomani said. “This shows Trump’s strength in this, his ability to communicate the issues, and also his record.”
One candidate on the ballot made no attempt to distance himself from Biden. He even appeared with him at his post-debate rally in North Carolina. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein was greeted with thunderous applause as he walked onto the stage at Biden’s rally. Cries of “Josh!” echoed through the crowd as he delivered his speech.
At the first mention of his Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the crowd erupted in boos. Stein said Robinson’s vision for the state is “one of division and hate.”
The challenge of the campaign, he said, is getting North Carolina residents to turn out in November.
“We will keep the White House and build a state and country that are safe and prosperous for all.”
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Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; Makiya Seminera in Raleigh, N.C.; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland; Lea Skene in Baltimore; and Stephen Groves in Washington contributed.
