Biden Campaign Hires Former GOP Staffer for Outreach Role
US Pres. Joe Biden's campaign announced Thursday that it had hired Austin Weatherford, a former GOP staffer, as National Republican Engagement Director in order to reach out to non-Democrat voters who are undecided about supporting former Pres. Donald Trump....
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Facts
- US Pres. Joe Biden's campaign announced Thursday that it had hired Austin Weatherford, a former GOP staffer, as National Republican Engagement Director in order to reach out to non-Democrat voters who are undecided about supporting former Pres. Donald Trump.1
- Weatherford was chief of staff to former Illinois GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who is prominently known for his anti-Trump stances and for serving on the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the US Capitol.1
- A campaign official said Weatherford has been hired to lead outreach to 'independents and moderate Republicans' who believe that another Trump term would pose 'a danger' to the country.2
- The Biden campaign has also been targeting supporters of former Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the GOP primary race in March. Haley herself has said she will vote for Trump.3
- Polling shows Biden and Trump are in a closer race than they were in 2020, with many national polls being tied. A Reuters poll shows Biden's support among voters without a four-year college degree down 10 points compared to 2020.2
Sources: 1NPR Online News, 2Reuters.com and 3CBS.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by CNN. With Trump showing little interest in reaching out to independents and Haley voters, the Biden campaign is smart to target those people to give it a bigger shot at pulling ahead in this close election. There are people of every political persuasion who see Trump as an existential threat to the country, and that alone should bring them together to support Biden's reelection efforts.
- Republican narrative, as provided by Washington Examiner. A shared hatred of Trump is no reason for Republicans to turn their back on their cause and vote for a Democratic president who offers nothing in terms of conservative policies. Biden is inept in terms of foreign policy, and he's conceded nothing to Republicans related to the economy or immigration. Republicans who want to win and see their worldview represented will be wise to stick with Trump.
