Philly Democrats on hand to open Biden campaign office in North Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — As the Biden campaign announced the opening of 10 new coordinated offices in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, the message was clear in North Philadelphia. The Biden campaign is all-in on attempting to keep Pennsylvania in the win column.

“It’s April and you have a community campaign office opening up,” state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) said. “What that means is that folks aren’t taking us for granted.”

Following Tuesday’s announcement, the Biden campaign now has a total of 24 coordinated campaign offices throughout the commonwealth aimed at get-out-the vote efforts.

Democrats open coordinated campaign offices across Pennsylvania

Biden won Pennsylvania in 2020 over then-President Donald Trump by putting up massive numbers in Philadelphia and the surrounding collar counties. State Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), who is the chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, said he believes voters in the City of Brotherly Love are key to keeping Biden in the White House. 

“Make no mistake,” Street said. “Massive turnout in the city of Philadelphia will make the difference in making sure that Joe Biden is reelected president.”

Last week, Biden visited three Pennsylvania cities, including an appearance in North Philadelphia. 

Street addressed concerns about Black, union, Latinos, and young voters not showing up to vote for Biden in 2024. He challenged those in attendance at the office opening to take that accusation about lack of interest personally and have conversations with people they know about supporting Biden’s reelection bid.

“The Republicans are praying every day that Philadelphia doesn’t show up,” Kellan White, senior adviser to the Biden campaign in Pennsylvania, said. “They are betting that Philadelphia doesn’t show up.”

Although a Biden vs Trump matchup is on the way in November, political observers are waiting to see what the primary results will be for both candidates in Pennsylvania. It remains to be seen whether a campaign urging Democrats to write in “uncommitted” as a protest vote against Biden’s policy on the war in Gaza will be.

“There’ll be Democratic voters…on the far left that want to express the sentiment, but it’s no way progressive voters are going to choose to sit on the sidelines and allow the orange menace to go back in office,” Street told the Capital-Star. 

U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-3rd District) told the Capital-Star the messages from the Biden campaign that connect well with Philadelphia voters are jobs and health care.

During state Rep. Donna Bullock’s (D-Philadelphia) speech, she emphasized the Biden administration’s focus on holding gun manufacturers accountable, while blaming the Trump administration for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

On the campaign trail, Trump has expressed pride for appointing three justices who were instrumental in that decision.

“We’re from Philly and we fight,” White said. “And when we fight, we win.”