Campaign Report

Biden makes his pitch to America with SOTU

by Caroline Vakil 03/07/24 04:12 PM ET

FILE - President Joe Biden arrives to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. Biden’s personal doctor said after the president’s most recent physical exam in February that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.” Still, the public remains wary about Biden’s capacity to do his job. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

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The Big Story

Biden makes his pitch to America with SOTU

All eyes will be on President Biden tonight as he looks to use the State of the Union to make his pitch to America, while also pushing back against the narrative that he’s too old and gaffe-prone to stay in office another four years.

The president is set to deliver remarks tonight in the Capitol at 9 p.m. ET. State of the Union addresses are a standard part of the president’s job, but the tall task in front of Biden this time is convincing voters that they’re better off than they were before he took office, and that he’s still fit for the job.

The State of the Union also comes one day after Donald Trump’s rival, Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race, essentially setting voters up for a 2020 rematch between Biden and Trump.

As The Hill’s Alex Gangitano and Brett Samuels detailed yesterday, Biden is juggling multiple challenges besides just his age and fitness – he’s grappled with recent polling in battleground states that’s shown him trailing Trump, at crossroads with Republicans over Ukraine aid and immigration and as he faces backlash from some within his party over his administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

“He has two tasks. One is to get voters to feel better about his presidency and the accomplishments he’s had, and the other is to remind voters of the chaos of Donald Trump and to make that a searing memory that they don’t want to go back to,” Jim Kessler, vice president for policy at left-leaning think tank Third Way, told Gangitano and Samuels.

Alex and Brett also outline five things to watch ahead of Biden’s address tonight that will be on the minds of both parties, including whether Biden will mention Trump, if he’ll be able to reassure voters amid dismal polling and he’s able to survive the night without gaffes.

Wondering what the president is likely to point to tonight? Alex Gangitano and Nathaniel Weixel have you covered on some the tax policy Biden is expected to delve into in addition his call to Congress over Medicare price negotiation.

Julia Shapero and Sylvan Lane also have you covered on what to know about the state of the economy ahead of Biden’s address.

Who’s offering the GOP response to SOTU tonight?: Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), whom Al Weaver and Caroline Vakil report has become a rising star within her party.

What’s Trump doing tonight?: The former president said on his Truth Social platform that’s going to do a “play by play” of Biden’s address tonight.

Essential Reads

Key election stories and other recent campaign coverage:

Sherrod Brown raises nearly $6M in 2 months amid Ohio Senate race

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has raised $5.7 million in the first two months of the year amid a contentious race as he tries for reelection to the Senate, his campaign announced. The Friends of Sherrod Brown campaign now reports having $13.5 million on hand as three Republicans vie in the primary to take on the Democratic incumbent in November. Businessman Bernie Moreno, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state …

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Most voters oppose candidates who campaign against transgender people: Poll

Candidates who often discuss restrictions on transgender Americans or signal support for policies that limit access to gender-affirming health care may be drumming up more opposition than support, according to a survey released Thursday by GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization. More than 50 percent of both registered and likely voters surveyed by the group in January said they would oppose a candidate who “speaks frequently …

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Trump urges political adviser to run for House seat in Georgia

Former President Trump on Thursday encouraged a longtime political aide to run for an open congressional seat in Georgia. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would support Brian Jack if he launched a campaign in Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District to replace Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), who announced in December he would not seek another term. “Brian has been thinking about running to succeed Drew, as he has …

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The Countdown

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

131 days until the Republican National Convention
165 days until the Democratic National Convention
242 days until the 2024 general election

On Our Radar

Endorsement Watch

Trump received a key boost on Thursday from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who backed him one day after Haley dropped out of the race. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), another Trump holdout, backed the former president on Wednesday.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who’s running for outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-Ariz.) seat, notched endorsements from Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), as well as his wife and former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.). The Gallego campaign noted that on Thursday they had raised $1 million in the 24 hours after Sinema dropped out.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) backed Republican candidate Sam Brown in the Nevada Senate race against Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

SC Republican lawmakers ask court to put congressional map back into effect

South Carolina Republican state lawmakers on Thursday asked to use their congressional map for this year’s elections as the Supreme Court sits on the lawmakers’ appeal. The lawmakers’ map is currently shelved after a lower court struck it down as a racial gerrymander, but no remedial map has been drawn as the Supreme Court reviews that decision this term. The justices heard oral arguments in October, but despite a request …

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Hogan dodges questions on codifying Roe, in vitro fertilization

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), a candidate for U.S. Senate in the state, would not commit to backing legislation that codifies into federal law the right to an abortion, as stipulated in the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. At an Axios event on Thursday, Hogan reiterated previous statements saying he would not vote for a federal abortion ban, but he would not answer directly how he would vote on a bill codifying …

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Around the Nation

Local and state headlines regarding campaigns and elections:

IndyTalks: Lombardo doesn’t regret housing vetoes, won’t fight abortion ballot measure (The Nevada Independent)
Will Kari Lake debate Mark Lamb after calling out Gov. Katie Hobbs for bowing out in 2022? (Arizona Republic)

What We’re Reading

Election news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Intel agencies eye brief for Trump, amid fears he could spill secrets (Politico)
State of the Union guests spotlight divide on abortion and immigration but offer some rare unity (The Associated Press)

Elsewhere Today

Key stories on The Hill right now:

Fulton County ethics board drops Fani Willis complaints from hearing

A Fulton County ethics watchdog slated to hear complaints against District Attorney Fani Willis (D) on Thursday will no longer do so, according to an updated meeting agenda. The Fulton County Board of Ethics was expected to hear two complaints against Willis after her romance with a special prosecutor on the election interference … Read more

Navy demoted Ronny Jackson after damning report on White House conduct

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), a former White House physician, retired as a Navy rear admiral in 2019 but was demoted less than two years later, The Washington Post reported. Following a damning March 2021 Defense Department Inspector General’s (DODIG) report, in which allegations of Jackson’s inappropriate behavior … Read more

What People Think

Opinions related to campaigns and elections submitted to The Hill:

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Biden makes his pitch to America with SOTU

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