Biden Touts Affordable Care Act, Abortion Rights in North Carolina Visit
By Jake Beardslee ·
March 26, 2024
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to promote their healthcare policies on Tuesday in the swing state of North Carolina. Joe Biden/Wikimedia
Although Democrats have struggled in recent presidential elections in North Carolina, the White House views healthcare as a winning issue against Republicans who have opposed lowering medical costs and restricting abortion rights. The White House/Wikimedia
"That's the split screen on health care you will see on clear display," said Anita Dunn, a senior adviser, The Associated Press reported. "President Biden, Vice President Harris and Democrats want to expand access, make health care more affordable for everyone and defend reproductive freedom. Republicans want to gut health care, raise prices and rip away those basic reproductive freedoms even more than they have already been endangered." The White House/Wikimedia
North Carolina is the final battleground state stop for Biden after his State of the Union address launched an intense travel push as he lays the groundwork for a likely rematch against Donald Trump, the expected Republican nominee. Office of the President of the United States/Wikimedia
The state has been a healthcare success story for Biden's pandemic relief act which incentivized Medicaid expansion, with over 600,000 residents expected to gain coverage. The White House/Wikimedia
However, the Supreme Court is hearing a case the same day that could further restrict abortion access. Mathieu Landretti/Wikimedia
"We will continue to fight back against unprecedented attacks on women's freedom to make their own health decisions," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated. The White House/Wikimedia
After the healthcare event in Raleigh, the president and vice president will attend a fundraiser, having built a sizeable $155 million war chest compared to Trump's $37 million. Staff Sgt. Marianique Santos/Wikimedia
While Biden's healthcare approval ratings are underwater at 42%, polls show Democrats are more trusted on affordability and reproductive issues. The White House/Wikimedia
"I'm a person who believes that good policy is also good politics," said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Maryland GovPics/Wikimedia
Trump, by contrast, has not detailed any healthcare plan beyond vowing to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which he labeled "not good Healthcare" while focused on other issues like immigration. The White House from Washington, DC/Wikimedia
Democrats hope to flip North Carolina by tapping into perceived weaknesses in the Republican statewide slate that Gov. Roy Cooper called "a slew of candidates that want to throw us right back into the culture wars." NCDOTcommunications/Wikimedia
