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Biden faces the biggest challenge of his career as he seeks to remain the Democratic nominee.
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The president’s family encouraged him to continue his campaign, The New York Times reported.
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So far, he has relied on his family and his political appeal within party blocs to make progress.
Democrats are still trying to pick up the pieces after President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance last week.
Biden himself tried to convince donors that he was still viable during a series of campaign fundraisers on Saturday. Top surrogates such as Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania joined other top Democrats in throwing their support behind the president. And at a pre-scheduled rally at Camp David, The New York Times reported that Biden’s family members encouraged him to stay in the race.
For now, Biden’s strategy is to persevere as he campaigns to repair the damage.
What will the coming weeks look like for Biden as he continues his re-election campaign amid skepticism from many within his party?
The power of family
Biden’s close family ties are well known. He is proud of his relationships with his children and grandchildren. After his son Beau died in 2015, he spoke fondly of the bond they shared. And Biden has been very supportive of his son Hunter Biden Over the years, Hunter has faced a series of challenges related to his alcohol and drug addiction, and he was recently convicted of gun possession.
On Sunday, Biden’s family threw their support behind the president by urging him to stay in the race, the Times reported. And Hunter Biden was one of the most vocal advocates for his father to stay in the race, saying he wanted Americans to see his father as the statesman he has long known and not the largely ineffective candidate who struggled in debates with former President Donald Trump, the outlet said.
As Democratic strategists and pollsters pore over numbers and voter reactions to gauge Biden’s chances, he is relying for now on his family’s assessment to remain the party’s standard-bearer.
He has been in a similar situation before.
In 2019, Biden did not begin his 2020 presidential campaign until his family fully supported the decision.
It appears the president is once again counting on his family’s judgment as he faces what may be the toughest period of his more than 50-year political career.
Biden’s Big Swing-State Test
Biden knows how important it is to hold must-win battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and to hold Nevada. And he is making a new push to capture Arizona and Georgia.
That’s why Biden’s late-night visit to an Atlanta-area Waffle House and his seemingly reborn personality at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday were so important, even as they were overshadowed by the aftermath of Thursday’s debate.
While many strategists in Washington, DC, were wringing their hands over Biden’s performance, the president knew he had to take immediate action to continue speaking to voters who could see him up close.
Trump narrowly won North Carolina in 2020, and upcoming polls will show how competitive it is heading into midsummer. But Biden’s Friday rally in the state was a reflection of the fact that he is here to stay and will not be removed from office easily.
Most elected Democrats remain solidly behind Biden. But if new polls in states like Georgia and Wisconsin show the kind of erosion in support that is incredibly difficult to overcome, larger voices could call on Biden to reconsider his position.
But for now, Biden remains in the driver’s seat. And he hopes it stays that way.
Read the original article on Business Insider
