Biden aims to win Wisconsin and Michigan by leaning heavily on more popular women

MIDDLETON, Wis. — Inside a modest ranch-style house in this suburb of Madison, Democrats from across southern Wisconsin recently met at a standing-room-only gathering billed as one of several formal campaign launch events for President Joe Biden and other candidates throughout the crucial battleground state.

They were all there to see Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

Like Biden, Baldwin — a well-funded Democratic incumbent — faces re-election this fall. Her race could help determine the balance of power of the Senate.

But unlike Biden, Baldwin has enjoyed strong favorability ratings in the state and benefits from unabashed and enthusiastic support from Democrats almost everywhere she shows up.

She’s one of two popular Midwestern female surrogates — along with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — whom the Biden campaign is planning to rely heavily on to win the two key battleground states.

Wisconsin

Policywise, there’s little daylight between the president and Baldwin, who is seeking her third term and faces Republican businessman Eric Hovde, and Whitmer, who won re-election in 2022 by more than 10 percentage points. Both women, like Biden, have focused heavily on reproductive rights, defending democracy and the economy.

But given Biden’s challenges in Wisconsin and Michigan, where in both his approval ratings are underwater, his campaign is poised to substantially lean on Baldwin and Whitmer — and even let them lead the way.

“The unified and early support from elected officials in all our battleground states has allowed us to leverage state party investments, years-long political networks and infrastructure already on-the-ground to build the strongest operation possible," Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, told NBC