Biden campaigns with McGinty in key Pa. county
Vice President Joe Biden campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the Philadelphia suburbs on Saturday, beginning a weekend swing in the Keystone State as Democrats make their final pitch to voters before Election Day.
“This election may literally come down to what happens in Bucks County,” Biden told the crowd in Bristol, Pa.
{mosads}CNN recently deemed Bucks County a critical county to watch on election night, citing its combination of working-class voters closer to Philadelphia and more Republican suburbs farther out from the city.
Republicans have not won Pennsylvania in a presidential election since 1988, which is also the last year Republicans won Bucks County.
Biden’s stop in Pennsylvania comes as a recent Harper poll shows Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump tied in the Keystone State.
Biden stumped for Clinton and Senate candidate Katie McGinty, the Democrat challenging Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). McGinty slammed Toomey on Saturday for his wavering rhetoric on Trump.
“The soul and spirit of this country is on the ballot Nov. 8. Yes it is. And I bet I speak for a lot of you on this one,” said McGinty. “We know human decency is on the ballot Nov. 8.”
Democrats have sought to tie Toomey and other vulnerable Republican senators to Trump.
Toomey has walked a fine line throughout his reelection campaign, trying not to alienate Trump voters while also working to hold onto more moderate voters in the state.
The same Harper poll showing Clinton and Trump tied in Pennsylvania also showed a tie between McGinty and Toomey, each getting 44 percent.
Biden compared Toomey’s record to the proposals put forth by the GOP presidential nominee.
“When it comes to policy and ideology, Toomey and Trump are cut from the same cloth,” Biden said.
Clinton launched similar attacks against Toomey during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh last month.
“He still refuses to stand up to Donald Trump,” Clinton said at the time.
In an email to The Hill, Toomey’s campaign criticized Biden for attacking the senator in an effort to help McGinty.
“It was just a few months ago that the Vice President recognized Pat Toomey’s bipartisan leadership in the Senate,” Toomey communications director Ted Kwong said.
“It’s disappointing that he is now trying to drag his preferred candidate Katie McGinty across the finish line, despite her record of rubber-stamp partisanship and substantial ethics problems.”
Biden on Saturday touted his wife Dr. Jill Biden’s Philadelphia roots in making the case to voters on behalf of McGinty and Clinton. Jill Biden spoke at the beginning of the rally.
“Imagine what she and Hillary can do together,” the vice president said of McGinty.
Biden will campaign in Scranton and Harrisburg on Sunday.
The Clintons and Obamas will campaign together Monday night in Philadelphia in the last rally before Election Day.
Update: 7:32 p.m.
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