The Michigan Democratic Party opened its first coordinated field office with President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign in metro Detroit over the weekend.
The metro Detroit office is a continuation of the One Campaign, something the party has used in past cycles to provide resources to candidates up and down the ballot.
Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI 11) said she expects to see the Biden campaign expanding its ground game in Michigan in the coming months.
“I think the campaign is going to take a strategic approach to opening up offices. But door knocking and grass roots is absolutely essential,” Stevens told reporters at the office opening.
The Madison Heights-based office shares a location with a local plumbers' union hall. It could signal the importance of the labor vote in this year’s election.
Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has also been targeting his message at union members.
U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware), a Biden campaign co-chair, attended the opening. He said Biden has a strong record of supporting unions.
“He stood on a picket line, he pushed hard for the UAW contract, and there are millions of families across America that are doing better because we’ve got a pro-worker and pro-union president in the White House,” Coons said.
The office opening comes after Biden won Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary with 81% of the vote but lost around 13% of voters to an “uncommitted” option on the ballot.
Stevens said opening the office helps the campaign reach and hear from diverse voices in the area.
“We’ve got energy heading into November. But we also have work to do. And not going to deny that some people sat their vote out. We want to bring them back in the fold. Joe Biden was made for this moment of listening, bringing people in, leading with heart, compassion and grace,” Stevens said.
Protest campaigns urged voters to withhold support for Biden because of his support for Israel in its military operations in Gaza.
Some say Biden needs to call for a permanent ceasefire for him to win their support, while others say it’s too late for Biden to ever get their vote.
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