First lady Jill Biden is kicking off her husband's outreach to older voters, an effort that will blend rallies and phone banks with social events like bingo nights and pickleball games.
While President Joe Biden is in Italy attending the Group of Seven summit, the first lady will travel to four swing states to launch the Seniors for Biden-Harris effort.
Dr. Biden is expected to visit Reno on Friday as part of that effort. At this time, there's no immediate information on if the event is public, or when or where it will take place.
Older adults are more likely than the average American to vote, and they make up larger shares of the population in some key swing states. Biden, who outperformed previous Democrats with the demographic in 2020, is looking to expand on the gains as his campaign seeks to maximize its chances of defeating former President Donald Trump, the Republican presumptive nominee.
Jill Biden's travels will also take her to Green Bay, Wisconsin; Duluth, Minnesota and Phoenix, the campaign said. While her events will feel like traditional rallies, the campaign also plans to use pickleball events and bingo nights to motivate older voters and keep them activated to help the campaign heading into November.
“Seniors are such a critical part of our coalition, and it is vitally important that we engage them this election cycle because they know President Biden is the only candidate in this race fighting for lower prescription drug and health care costs and to protect and safeguard Medicare and Social Security,” Biden campaign manager Julia Chavez Rodriguez said. "Dr. Biden is both a trusted voice for seniors speaking to the issues that matter most to them and a galvanizing force to activate our supporters ahead of the election.”
Jill Biden had spent much of the last 10 days at a federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, supporting her son Hunter Biden, who on Tuesday was convicted on federal firearms charges. The swing marks her return to the campaign trail after the trying experience for her family.
The Republican National Committee of Nevada and the Trump campaign both responded to the first lady appearing in Reno.
"Jill Biden’s visit to Reno comes as senior citizens are dealing with skyrocketing prices, shrinking their hard-earned dollars," said Halee Dobbins, RNC NV Communications Director. "Nevada voters will not overlook the harsh realities they face under failed Joe Biden. Our seniors deserve better than a visit to play Bingo, rather than real solutions to the problems Bidenomics has created."
"President Trump delivered on his promise to protect Social Security and Medicare in his first term, and President Trump will continue to strongly protect Social Security and Medicare in his second term," said a statement from Karoline Leavitt, Trump Campaign National Press Secretary in part. "The only candidate who poses a threat to Social Security and Medicare is Joe Biden--whose mass invasion of countless millions of illegal aliens will, if they are allowed to stay, cause Social Security and Medicare to buckle and collapse."
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
