ATLANTA — Ask U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock whether he thinks President Joe Biden should campaign with him in Georgia – or even if he should run again – and you’ll get a well-worn answer from the Democrat that everyday voters don’t care about “pundit” speculation.
There’s good reason for Warnock’s efforts to distance himself from Biden, as opinion polls continue to show the president’s approval ratings hovering around 40% in Georgia. Former President Barack Obama, who stumped for Warnock on Thursday, is considered a far more influential surrogate.
That doesn’t mean Biden is completely sidelined ahead of Tuesday’s runoff against Republican Herschel Walker. The president has repeatedly vouched for Warnock and sent tweets promoting his reelection. And on Friday he’s headed to Massachusetts to benefit the Democrat.
“I’m doing a major fundraiser up in Boston today,” he said to reporters at a signing ceremony at the White House when pressed on why he didn’t campaign in Georgia. The event is hosted by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
The arms-length approach to Biden offers a reminder how the leading figures in both parties are being held at bay from the dueling candidates.
Former President Donald Trump, an early backer of Walker, last held a rally in Georgia in March but hasn’t returned during the general election phase or the runoff. That’s because GOP officials convinced Trump’s advisers he would do more harm than good to Walker’s bid.
Biden, meanwhile, touted Warnock’s loyalty to his administration at a union event in Boston.
“I can’t think of anything that he hasn’t voted for with us,” Biden said. “There may be something. I know it’s a problem, because they’re running against him saying he votes 98% of the time with Joe Biden. I wouldn’t tell them that on the phone.”
At a campaign stop in Warner Robins on Friday, Walker said he’d support the so-called Green New Deal but only after the state had things, like electric vehicle charging stations, in place.
“Let me tell y’all this: I love the Green New Deal, if we we’re ready for it,” Walker said at the Houston County rally. “But we ain’t ready for no Green New Deal.”
“Have ya’ll seen any charging stations along the road?” Walker continued. “You haven’t seen no charging station. Right now we’re not ready for it so we don’t need to be going in that direction.”
Georgia has electric vehicle charging stations along its highways run by private companies. What Walker also missed is that the federal infrastructure bill, which passed Congress last year, contains about $7.5 billion for electric vehicle infrastructure, including charging stations.
A recent report from a state legislative study committee made recommendations on how the state should transition to electric vehicles, which is expected to have a profound effect on motorists in Georgia.
The so-called Green New Deal was never actually a piece of legislation, but a wish list. The terms has become a kind of catch-all for environmental action. Walker talks frequently about energy independence and the need to tap into the U.S. energy sources.
Walker said when the state is ready, “I’ll raise my hand and say we’ve got to do it.”
