Democratic senator in tight 2024 race distances herself from Biden after debate stumbles

WASHINGTON – Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Friday sought to distance herself from President Joe Biden following a rocky presidential debate performance that has led some Democrats to question his ability to continue to lead the party.

“Tammy Baldwin is running her own race for the people of Wisconsin,” a campaign spokesman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a USA TODAY Network partner, in response to questions about whether Baldwin still supported Biden as the nominee. “Her focus will always be on showing up across the state, listening to working Wisconsinites, and fighting to make their lives better.”

Baldwin’s campaign initially declined to say whether Baldwin supported Biden as Democrats’ 2024 nominee before offering a one-sentence response: “Tammy supports the president.”

The comments from Baldwin, who is in a tight reelection race that could determine the balance of the Senate, came as many Democrats stressed over Biden’s shaky debate performance Thursday night against former President Donald Trump.

Biden stumbled over his words during the event and at times gave meandering answers, leading some Democrats to call for Biden to be replaced at the top of the ticket.

The debate was notable for the current president, who trails Trump in polling in many key swing states and faces low favorability rating in Wisconsin. And it underscored questions of whether Biden’s unpopularity could hurt Democrats, like Baldwin, in down-ballot races.

“I think you’ve already seen the Senate campaign try to run somewhat independently of the president,” Marquette University Law School poll director Charles Franklin said of Baldwin. “Last night’s debate will probably make Democratic incumbents everywhere try to find ways to run on their own record and separate that from a very unpopular president.”

Republican businessman Eric Hovde, Baldwin’s presumptive opponent in November, has sought to tie the Democratic incumbent directly to Biden. In a statement Friday, Hovde spokesman Ben Voelkel said it was “not surprising that President Biden struggled to explain the disastrous consequences of the inflationary and open borders policies Sen. Baldwin fully supports.”

“What's more surprising is that Sen. Baldwin wants four more years of runaway inflation and the open borders that have allowed dangerous criminals, terrorists and deadly drugs to flood our country,” Voelkel said.

In Wisconsin, Baldwin is faring much better than Biden in statewide surveys.

A Marquette Law School poll released Wednesday showed Baldwin running five points ahead of Hovde, among both likely and registered voters, beating Hovde 52-47.

The same survey found that 45% of voters viewed Baldwin favorably and 44% viewed her unfavorably — a net favorability of plus 1.

Biden, meanwhile, was viewed favorably by just 40% of voters, while 58% viewed him unfavorably — a minus 18 net favorability, according to the Marquette survey of Wisconsinites.  Biden is essentially tied with former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin, the survey found, and national polls show him trailing Trump in other key swing states.

Trump’s favorability in Wisconsin remained static at 41% from May to June, according to Marquette, despite being convicted in late May of 34 felony counts related to hush money payments ahead of the 2016 election.

Franklin, the Marquette poll director, noted the exact impact of Biden’s debate performance on other Democrats could not clearly be determined just hours after the debate. But he noted other Democratic candidates can continue to run on their own records and make the case that holding the Senate could act as a check on a potential Trump presidency.

“It is a way for Democrats this year — without endorsing Donald Trump at all — to nevertheless emphasize the importance of a divided government to provide a barrier to Trump’s initiatives,” Franklin said, later adding: “How well that works is up to the politician and to the voters, for whether they can craft a convincing message that insulates themselves from an unpopular presidential candidate.”

Baldwin, for her part, has largely avoided talking about Biden. She appeared alongside the president when he visited Superior in January but was not present when Biden returned to Wisconsin in March, April and May.

Hovde, whom Trump endorsed during his first stop in Wisconsin this year, appeared on stage with the former president in Racine this month.

Many Democrats, including those in Congress, downplayed the impact of Thursday night’s debate.

More: Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson doubles down on support for Joe Biden after tough debate

Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan said the debate proved Trump “is even worse today than when he was president,” noting Trump told numerous lies throughout the event.

“The Biden Administration and Democrats got big things done last session and will again after the November elections,” Pocan said. “Our agenda is much better for the American people.”

Joe Zepecki, a Wisconsin-based Democratic strategist, said he’s seen “no evidence” that Biden is having a negative impact on down-ballot Democrats. He pointed to national polling showing Democratic Senate candidates in battleground states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Arizona outperforming Biden.

“Voters have been thinking about the presidential election one way and down-ballot races like the U.S. Senate race another way,” Zepecki said. “Voters are thinking about these races and these choices differently.”

Still, Franklin, the Marquette pollster, noted the influence of the top of the ticket.

“If the electorate really does turn against Joe Biden as opposed to being basically tied,” he said, “then that’s a drag to Democrats everywhere.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tammy Baldwin distances herself from Biden after debate night stumbles