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After his first State of the Union speech on Wednesday, President Joe Biden took to the roads with top members of his Administration. This was in order to give his presidency a boost ahead of the midterm election.
Biden stood in Superior, Wisconsin in front of banners reading "Building a Better America", and celebrated his first year as a senator. He also pledged to address lingering problems like rising prices.
Biden mentioned the Blatnik Bridge as an example for a crucial piece of infrastructure that could be modernized and improved by the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
"This bridge is an old design. Biden stated that tight curves result in higher than average bridge crash rates. "And now, after many years of discussing infrastructure, we are finally getting it done."
Biden will face the midterms because his top legislative priorities, Build back Better to voting rights, remain stuck in Congress. Inflation continues to be a problem in the country. The president's approval rating has remained low.
The president appears to be relying on his bipartisan infrastructure bill as an early strategy for the midterms. This bill will carry his party in the election years, even though states will take years to spend the funds and infrastructure projects won't be complete before November.
He has also not shown any sign of abandoning his "Build back Better" agenda. It remains stalled at Congress. However, the administration is trying to rebrand it under Biden's "Building a Better America." plan.
"Despite the historic recovery, too many families still struggle with higher costs. I get it." Biden said Wednesday. "Getting prices under control must be our top priority."
In midterm elections years, a president's party usually loses seats. The Democrats face the possibility of losing control of both the House and Senate with their slim majorities.
According to NBC News polls, Biden's job approval hovers at 43 per cent. Biden's job performance rating was the lowest in 30 years of NBC News polls for a president who has completed his first year. This excludes former President Donald Trump, with a 39% approval rating.
Biden spent the majority of his first year of office in Washington because of the Covid pandemic. However, the White House stated that the president would like to spend more time in D.C. before the midterms. The White House also said that the president would be increasing his travel schedule after his State of the Union address.
Top Biden Administration officials travelled around the country Wednesday in a post-State of the Union blitz to promote the president’s agenda.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited a North Carolina community college, while Marty Walsh, Labor Secretary, visited a Kentucky solar farm. Jennifer Granholm, Energy Secretary was due to visit a Kentucky solar farm. South Carolina's Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan was scheduled to visit the state to discuss sewage upgrades.
Biden's speech was followed by a stop at the home of one of the most promising Democratic opportunities for a 2022 Senate election.
Ron Johnson, R-Wis. is running for reelection in a state where Biden won 2020 by less that a percentage point. The Cook Political Report rates Wisconsin's Senate race a "toss-up." While Tammy Baldwin (the state's other senator) is a Democrat and Tina Smith, the neighboring Minnesota has two Democrats.
"I love Wisconsin, I love Minnesota," Biden said Wednesday. "Thanks to three outstanding senators."
