Biden to campaign for Crist ahead of November midterms

President Biden will be campaigning for Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist (D) ahead of the November midterms, the White House announced on Sunday. 

A White House advisory noted that Biden would be participating in a reception for the Democrat in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Nov. 1. The reception comes exactly one week out from Election Day and ahead of a closely watched gubernatorial race in the state where Crist will be taking on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has also been widely floated as a 2024 GOP presidential candidate.

Crist said earlier this year that he would welcome Biden traveling to the state even as candidates like Ohio Senate hopeful Tim Ryan (D) had toed the line on appearing with the president. 

Crist told CNN following his primary that he wanted Biden to come to Florida, saying at one point: “He’s a great man. He’s a great president. I can’t wait for him to get down here. I need his help. I want his help. And he’s the best I’ve ever met.”

But recent polling shows the governor’s race will be an uphill battle for Crist. A Mason-Dixon Florida poll released earlier this month showed DeSantis leading Crist 52 percent to 41 percent among likely voters.

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the race “likely Republican.”