Ladies and gentlemen, let’s dive into the latest drama in the political arena, and this one’s a doozy!
Joe Biden’s campaign chairwoman, Jen O’Malley Dillon, just dropped a bombshell that’s sending shockwaves through the Biden camp. During a podcast interview with Puck, O’Malley Dillon flat-out conceded Florida’s 30 electoral votes to former President Donald Trump. Yes, you heard that right. When asked if Florida was a battleground state Biden would contest, her response was a resounding “No.”
And it gets even juicier…
Biden’s ground organizing staff in Florida didn’t take this news well. In fact, they’re completely demoralized. One staffer took to X, venting their frustration: “Writing Florida off through a paywalled Puck News article while @FloridaForBiden staff are on the ground organizing here is not great. Not a lot of staffers, consultants, or organizers are in a position to say it, but this was such an unnecessary, demoralizing gut punch.” Ouch!
Heilemann: And you’re saying you see North Carolina also as a battleground state?
O’Malley-Dillon: Yes.
Heilemann: Florida?
O’Malley-Dillon: No.https://t.co/lfxbxyXSJy— Nick Field (@nick_field90) June 24, 2024
In a move that highlights the disarray in Biden’s campaign, battleground states director Dan Kanninen quickly tried to counter the damage. He fired off a statement to The Hill, proclaiming, “Florida is in play! Florida is in play for President Biden and Democrats up and down the ballot. Trump and his out-of-touch loyalists are taking the state for granted while their extreme agenda continues to increase costs and rip away Floridians’ freedoms. The President has a strong story to tell on the issues that matter most to Floridians, which is why our campaign continues to scale up our presence and investments into the state.”
Mixed messages much? The confusion and lack of clear strategy are palpable, and it’s no wonder morale is low.
BREAKING: Biden’s reelection campaign chair says Florida is not in play this year and concedes it is no longer a battleground. pic.twitter.com/9W437OFYEB
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) June 24, 2024
But wait, there’s more. O’Malley Dillon also mentioned that the Biden campaign is making a play for North Carolina. According to the RealClearPolitics (RCP) average poll of North Carolina polls, Trump is leading by 5.8 points. In 2020, Trump won North Carolina by 1.3 points, and in 2016, by 3.6 points. Out of nearly 30 polls taken this year, Biden has only managed a tiny lead in two, and those are over a year old. So, Biden winning North Carolina? Not likely.
Now, let’s get back to Florida. According to the RCP average poll of Florida state polls, Trump is ahead of Biden by 7.6 points. In 2020, Trump won Florida by 3.3 points, and in 2016 by 1.2 points. RealClearPolitics doesn’t even list Florida as a toss-up. The only state Trump won in 2020 that’s currently listed as a toss-up is North Carolina. Meanwhile, eight states Biden won in 2020 are now toss-ups, including Virginia and Minnesota, which should be safe for Biden.
If a Democrat presidential candidate has to defend Minnesota, it’s a bad sign. And if they’re spending time in North Carolina and Florida, it’s even worse.
The Biden campaign looks like a classic losing campaign, full of mixed messages and demoralized staff.
