Biden takes COVID-19 rescue pitch to battleground Wisconsin

President Biden’s first time hearing directly from voters since taking office will be in a state he won by less than 1 percentage point, as he seeks to build support for his $1.9 trillion coronavirus package, a test of his promise to govern and “unify” the country.

The president will pitch the need for a fifth pandemic relief bill in a CNN town hall on Tuesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a state that former President Donald Trump won in 2016 before it flipped for Biden by a 0.6 percentage point margin in November, 49.4% to Trump’s 48.8%.

Ben Nuckels, a Democratic media consultant based in Wisconsin, said the state’s voting landscape makes it an important target for Biden.

“He’s able to reach a broad swath of the population,” Nuckels said. “It’s not a red or a blue state, it’s very much a purple state, and being able to come out here and retell his plan to middle America, so to speak, will be really important.”

Biden’s inaugural pledge for unity has been tested in his aim for a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package. Republicans who met with Biden at the White House to discuss a $618 billion counterproposal were rebuffed, with the White House stating that its plan’s size is necessary.

Biden allies have said that Democrats are prepared to go it alone, using a budget tool to bypass the typical 60-vote threshold. Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the tiebreaking 51st vote in this scenario.

Wisconsin is the kind of swing state where Biden is looking to solidify the Democratic advantage.