PITTSBURGH — President Biden returned to his home state of Pennsylvania on Thursday to make a final push to further the fruits of an infrastructure law he enacted this year and help Democrats maintain a slim grip on the Senate.
On his trip to Pennsylvania, Mr. Biden threw himself into one of the hottest contests in the country. That fate could determine the outlook for his legislative agenda over the next two years. The backdrop reflects a shift in Biden’s rhetorical approach to the midterm elections, which in recent weeks has focused on protecting abortion rights, Social Security and Medicare.
“It’s a decade of infrastructure, not Infrastructure Week, which was the punchline under my predecessor,” Biden said as he stood in front of a crane next to the partially reconstructed Fern Hollow Bridge. rice field.
The event was supposed to be about the economy, but politics was clearly in the air.・We were met at the airport by Lieutenant Governor Fetterman.
The president thanked Mr Fetterman for running and thanked his wife.
“Giselle, you’re going to be a great, great woman in the Senate,” Biden said, predicting Fetterman would win.
2022 midterm elections
Both parties are making final pitches ahead of the Nov. 8 election.
The Pennsylvania Senate election has become increasingly contentious in its final stages. Fetterman, who suffered a stroke earlier this year, faces questions from Republicans, including opponents, about his ability to serve due to the lingering effects on his health. During his recovery, Mr. Fetterman struggled to articulate his thoughts on his campaign trajectory or had to read his on-screen questions during his interviews.
At Thursday’s event with Mr. Biden, Mr. Fetterman made no public statements.
Mr. Biden, who is keeping a low profile in this fall’s campaign, attended a fundraising reception with Mr. Fetterman in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
The Fern Hollow Bridge, which Mr. Biden addressed on Thursday, symbolizes the creaky state of America’s infrastructure that the president wants to rebuild. As Mr. Biden prepared to visit New York in January, the boulevard collapsed and fell into the canyon below.
While funds from the Infrastructure Act were not used directly to rebuild the bridge, Biden said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation did not have to divert resources from other projects, so the state could repair the bridge more quickly. Mr. Biden said he did. The bridge he expects to be rebuilt within a year, much faster than he would take 2-5 years for a similar project.
“I will come back to walk on this sucker,” Biden said.
The president explained other ways he said the Infrastructure Act is helping Pennsylvania, pointing to investments in broadband, electric car chargers and lead pipe replacement. He said much of the work would be completed using union labor.
Biden, who is scheduled to return to Pennsylvania next week, admitted he remains drawn to Pittsburgh and the state that kicked off the 2020 presidential campaign.
“I’m a proud Delaware native, but Pennsylvania is my home state. It’s in my heart,” Biden said. “Words cannot express how much it means to be a part of rebuilding this beautiful state.”