President Joe Biden is reveling in his party’s election wins this week, attributing some of the successes to his administration, such as the Kentucky governor’s re-election.
During his first public comments on Tuesday’s elections, Biden declared at a campaign event on Thursday night that his administration’s policies were resonating with voters.
“The Biden-Harris agenda has taken hold,” he remarked at a campaign fundraiser in Chicago. “People are winning elections on it over and over and over.”
In particular, Biden highlighted the re-election of Gov. Andy Beshear, stating, “In Kentucky, a Democratic governor was re-elected after … running on programs that were all Biden initiatives.”
He also highlighted Democratic victories in Ohio, in which voters passed a ballot initiative that enshrines abortion rights in the state’s constitution. Furthermore, Biden took a shot at his potential opponent next November by stating, “The only reason abortion is banned in America is because of Donald Trump.”
Biden also cited victories in Pennsylvania, such as the expansion of a Democratic majority on the state’s Supreme Court and the election of Philadelphia’s first Black female mayor, as well as Virginia Democrats’ reclaiming control of the Legislature.
“Since I came off the sidelines to go toe to toe with Donald Trump, we haven’t stopped winning,” Biden said, after he cited the party’s performance in the midterm elections.
Despite Biden attributing the week’s Democratic victories to his administration, many of the significant wins likely have roots independent of the president.
For instance, Biden did not campaign for Beshear, whom he referred to as a “good friend” Thursday.
A Democratic strategist in Kentucky called Beshear a governor “who’s extremely well liked,” while a senior Democratic aide to a lawmaker in a swing state noted that while “it’s a win for Democrats, it’s not like the president’s name was on the ballot.”
An NBC News exit poll in Ohio this week revealed strong Democratic turnout paired with negative opinions of Biden — his approval rating among Ohio voters was 39%. Nearly three-quarters, 73%, said Biden should not seek re-election, compared with 63% who said Trump shouldn’t run, either.
In his remarks, Biden appeared to jest about recent polls that showed him trailing Trump in battleground states but said there are “10 other polls, and every one we are winning.”
A New York Times/Siena College poll released Sunday found Trump leading Biden in five of the six swing states that Biden won in 2020, prompting concern among Democrats over the weekend.
Biden’s statements on Thursday were not the first time he has boasted about this week’s election results. He was prompt to highlight the party’s wins on election night.
“Across the country tonight, democracy won and MAGA lost,” Biden tweeted Tuesday. “Voters vote. Polls don’t. Now let’s go win next year.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
