President Joe Biden is set to make appearances in Dallas and Houston this week, hoping to boost his campaign coffers and rally support ahead of a high-stakes November rematch against former President Donald Trump.
Biden will be the first president to land at DFW International Airport since 2014, where he is anticipated to arrive at 5:25 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Dallas Business Journal. The president’s itinerary includes private fundraising events in Dallas on Wednesday evening and in Houston on Thursday as he seeks out more financial backing for the upcoming electoral battle.
The president’s visit comes on the heels of a successful fundraising drive in February, where his campaign raised $53 million, bolstering its total cash on hand to $155 million, as previously noted by the U.S. News & World Report.
With these growing financial figures and upcoming private events, Biden’s campaign hopes to garner more grassroots support and more votes from Texans. While specific details about the Dallas events were not readily available, one reception will be hosted by trial lawyer Russell Budd and Dallas lawyer Regina Montoya. Dallas businessman Kneeland Youngblood will host another scheduled event, DMN reported.
Following the campaign events in Dallas, Biden will head to Houston for additional stops on his private event tour on March 21.
The strategic choice of Texas for fundraising underscores the state’s significance and impact in national politics. While Texas might not be a battleground state historically, the deep pockets of sporadic Democratic donors in certain cities around the state provide a crucial resource for Biden’s campaign as he aims to build more financial momentum.
The last Democratic president to win in Texas was Jimmy Carter in 1976, according to PBS.
Throughout this election cycle, Texans have contributed a total of $51.6 million to the campaign of Donald Trump and $36.1 million to support Joe Biden. However, within the Austin-San Marcos area, donations amounted to $8 million for Biden and $4 million for Trump, according to the Austin-American Statesmen.
Both Biden and Trump have been actively engaging with voters across Texas, with their recent appearances along the U.S.-Mexico border showcasing contrasting approaches toward immigration policy.
Biden’s trip to Brownsville highlighted his effort to focus on bipartisan action to fix the general issues at the U.S.-Mexico border, as reported by The Dallas Express. Trump, in turn, used his platform at the border to blame Biden for the surge in unlawful migration, per The Dallas Morning News.
Biden’s Texas tour coincides with a recent launch of the “Latinos con Biden-Harris” campaign push. Biden has previously expressed that he believes the Latino vote is the reason he won the 2016 election and that he needs the continued support of Latino voters, according to AP News.
“The Latino community is critical to the value set we have. I plan on working like the devil to earn your support,” Biden said on Univision Radio’s show El Bueno, la Mala y el Feo (“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”).
“I need you back,” Biden told Latinos at a recent town hall meeting held at a small Mexican restaurant in Phoenix.
The president’s fundraising tour follows his recent politicized State of the Union speech, during which he took a few swipes at Trump and congressional Republicans, claiming he is “ready to fix the border.”