The National Republican Campaign Committee is intensifying its efforts to seize on Democrat lawmakers’ criticism of President Joe Biden’s fitness for office in a bid to gain seats this fall. Following Biden’s widely condemned performance in the first presidential debate, NRCC released a memo outlining the party’s plan to emphasize House Democrats’ “blind allegiance” to the president and target vulnerable lawmakers’ past remarks.
The memo highlights specific instances where lawmakers expressed confidence in Biden’s mental fitness for office, while also pointing to his current struggles. Republicans intend to label these lawmakers as “gaslighting and misdirection” to further sway public opinion in their favor.
Democrats in tough re-election battles are under pressure to disassociate themselves from Biden’s perceived failings. So far, few lawmakers have spoken out against the president’s leadership, and NRCC is capitalizing on this hesitation.
A Democratic operative, speaking anonymously, acknowledged that Republicans’ new strategy is effective. Biden’s underperformance in the debate has also put pressure on certain Democrats to address the issue, given their connection to the president. Other Democrats, on the other hand, continue to downplay the significance of the campaign, focusing instead on their own campaign strength.
Republicans in the Senate are adopting a different approach. Senate candidate David McCormick, running against Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), has released an ad juxtaposing the senator’s past comments regarding Biden’s mental fitness with clips from the debate.
Other Republican groups are also deploying the “Biden-bashing” strategy, with the Republican State Leadership Committee claiming that every Democratic candidate for office should be concerned with the president’s current condition.
The NRSC Communications Director, Mike Berg, accused Senate Democrats of lying when they asserted that Biden remains sharp. “It is clear voters will remember this in November,” he emphasized.
