A.G. Gancarski
A blunt statement from a Joe Biden campaign advisor this week is serving as grist for Donald Trump’s messaging to media regarding the Sunshine State.
“We read about Biden’s standing in Florida, which was ‘in play’ just a few weeks ago but has now been unceremoniously dumped — as President Trump’s lead widens to an average of 7.6 points in the Sunshine State,” reads the memo from Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.
The aside in the major communication between Trump’s top advisors and political press comes days after Jen O’Malley Dillon, Chair of the Biden re-election effort, pointedly refused to name Florida among the states where the President thinks he can compete during an interview with Puck News.
“No,” she said when asked directly by John Heilemann as he listed off states, wondering whether the campaign was treating them as battlegrounds.
The Biden campaign and the Florida Democratic Party have attempted damage control since.
“Florida is in play for President Biden and Democrats up and down the ballot,” asserted Dan Kanninen, Biden-Harris Battleground States Director.
“Trump and his out of touch loyalists are taking the state for granted, while their extreme agenda continues to increase costs and rip away Floridians’ freedoms. The President has a strong story to tell on the issues that matter most to Floridians, which is why our campaign continues to scale up our presence and investments into the state.”
Kanninen’s statement on Monday came at the end of the day, hours after the Puck News report caused tongues to wag.
Meanwhile, FDP Chair Nikki Fried is still doing damage control.
“Florida is in play,” she said Wednesday, suggesting that “the facts” denote Trump’s vulnerability.
“Donald Trump is losing ground here in the state of Florida. Look at the presidential primary where he only received 80% of the Republican vote. One out of 5 Republicans voted for Nikki Haley. His support is diminishing here in this state,” Fried said, though her confident words are belied by polling that has yet to show Trump trailing Biden in a state he carried in two consecutive cycles.
Ryan Tyson’s The Tyson Group poll, which was taken earlier this month, showed that 46% of likely voters back Trump, good for a 10-point lead over Biden. However, a contemporaneous Fox News survey showed Trump with only a 4-point lead.
Yet whether it’s 4 points or 10 points, indications are that Team Biden is putting more lip service in the state than tangible resources, recognizing that the election likely will come down to a handful of too-close-to-call states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
And the Trump camp clearly feels emboldened to call the other side’s bluff.
15 comments
PeterH
June 26, 2024 at 3:15 pm
Adam Kinzinger and Joe Manchin have both stated today that they will be voting for Joe Biden in November!
Many independent voters have reconciled that Republicans are America’s worst enemy!
Vote all Republicans out of office!
Impeach Biden
June 26, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Ha! Ha! You list one Democrat Senator and Kinzinger who would never vote for Donald Trump and call them representative of independent voters. You are really reaching Peter H. Looks like Biden has been placed in the basement for the week, on heavy IV’s and memorizing the questions handed over to his team by Tapper and Bash.
Tom
June 27, 2024 at 7:46 am
Already getting the excuses ready I see. The fact that trump seems inclined not to practice his debate skills could indicate that he has no intention of debating but I guess we’ll see.
My Take
June 26, 2024 at 3:32 pm
If Trump chooses “Reichsfeuhrer” Vance for VP,
How much would this influence voting?
Impeach Biden
June 26, 2024 at 3:42 pm
He is obviously more capable than the laughing hyena that Joe selected. And anyone with half a brain knows why he picked her.
My Take
June 26, 2024 at 4:45 pm
You can’t even read a simple question.
Instead you emit a Fox fart in supposed response.
Impeach Biden
June 26, 2024 at 5:51 pm
I answered it and you gave me a CNN / MSNBC / Joy Behar fart back.
FSU Frat Boy
June 26, 2024 at 6:08 pm
But it really wasn’t a question when you referred to Vance as the Reichsfuhrer right? It was merely a shot at the potential VP and Trump disguised as a question.
My Take
June 26, 2024 at 9:34 pm
How much would this influence voting?
=====
That wiggly thing makes it a question.
The “this” refers to his extreme rightwing position, described figuratively.
Phil Morton
June 26, 2024 at 4:06 pm
We just got thousands of Biden/Harris signs and other swag, the earliest we’ve ever received anything. Florida is definitely in play.
Impeach Biden
June 26, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Memories of Val Demings and Charlie Crist.🤣
MH/Duuuval
June 26, 2024 at 9:14 pm
Who laughs last, laughs best.
One trend nationwide is the increase in woman voters, few of whom will want to be put back on the pedestal.
MH/Duuuval
June 26, 2024 at 9:18 pm
“When the Texas ban went into effect, Governor Greg Abbott said there was no need to make an exception for rape, because Texas was going to “eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas.” Instead, in a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers estimated that in the 16 months after the Texas ban, 26,313 rape-related pregnancies occurred in the state.
(from Heather Cox Richardson blog)
Tramp sharts
June 27, 2024 at 8:08 am
For he’s a sharty gross felon!!! In my opinion, Tramp won’t be able to be in the race come November. He’s going to have some sort of episode and the GOP will find a stand in like a Governor (Texas, Florida, etc) to run at the 11th hour. If he can’t control his bowel movements how can he control the US? Duh. Hopefully Biden calls him out at the debate tonight… what’s that smell? Please bring me a gas mask!
FSU Frat Boy
June 27, 2024 at 9:54 pm
Debate has been going on for nearly one hour now. If anyone is going to drop out of the race it is Biden. Whatever elixir they have been pumping into his body for the last week it ain’t working. Biden is simply mentally unfit to seek re-election. I predict Biden will drop out. right before the Demo convention.