Saturday, June 29, 2024

Joe Biden surrogates flood state this weekend as re-election ground game begins

By A.G. Gancarski on June 29, 2024

Are Democrats worried about President Joe Biden's ability to run in November and serve a second term?

Well, not all of them seem to be, based on the all-star roster that will be at some of 11 Biden campaign offices as they launch around the state of Florida.

While the campaign is keeping the locations of the offices before their openings secret from the public unless they are signed up to attend, some of the most familiar names in the state's Democratic Party will be on hand to greet them Saturday and Sunday

In Duval County at 4 p.m., Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, City Councilman Rahman Johnson and Duval County Democratic Chair Daniel Henry will greet Biden supporters, per advisories from the national Biden/Harris campaign and a public relations agency helping with the event.

Biden was the first Democrat to win Duval County since Jimmy Carter in 1976, and the election of Deegan in 2023 has been cited by Democrats as proof that they can win elections after the party got routed statewide during the 2022 cycle.

In Hillsborough County earlier this morning at 9:30 a.m., Hillsborough DEC Chairwoman Ione Townsend and State Representative Susan Valdés spoke at that office's opening, meanwhile.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas was slated for that event, but wasn't able to make it. At this writing, though, there are tentative plans for her to appear at an event in Pinellas County in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, South Florida Democrats have even more opportunities to meet former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

Solis, who was in the state for an event Friday, will be in Miami Gardens at 11 a.m. for a canvass kickoff with Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.

From there, she heads to Coral Gables for a 2 p.m. meet and greet with a women's group, where she will be joined by former state Rep. Annie Betancourt.

The activity continues on Sunday in Orange County, where Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Senator-Elect Carlos G. Smith, and Representative Anna Eskamani will address Democrats at an event scheduled for 4 p.m.