Remember the Blue Wall? Well, That Might Be Joe Biden’s Plan to Win in 2024? President Joe Biden famously said in his 2020 victory address he pledged to be “a president who seeks not to divide but to unify, who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States.”
Yet, he made that declaration just a day after he said from his campaign HQ in Wilmington, Delaware that “We rebuilt the blue wall that crumbled a few years ago” – referring to his victories in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Even as President Biden has arguably not been the unifier he promised to be, it is likely that the blue wall remains critical to a path to victory in 2024.
Though the Joe Biden team has been looking to protect and even fortify the blue wall, the campaign may go on the attack in the new swing states of Georgia and Arizona – states that were once thought of as red.
Abortion Could be the 2024 Issue
The Republican candidates had likely pegged their hopes on the economy – and a year ago, as inflation was at record-high levels, it could have been a smart play. Yet, as previously reported, inflation and the general state of the economy didn’t deliver the expected “red wave” ahead of the 2022 midterms.
A number of other factors – notably the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade – spoiled the Republican Party’s hopes. The Democrats kept control of the United States Senate, while the GOP made far more modest gains in the House of Representatives.
The Democrats may look to build on 2022 by focusing on abortion rights, and beyond the Blue Wall.
That could include putting traditionally red states like North Carolina on the map. Biden lost the Tar Heel State by just one percentage point in 2020, and its 12-week abortion ban recently went into effect.
As Politico.com reported, the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) have also put Florida in the cross hairs. Ads have already aired in former President Donald Trump’s home base in the Sunshine State, where an amendment to restore abortion rights could be on the ballot next fall.
Ohio – The Heart of It for Joe Biden?
Republicans have long counted on Ohio, but this week, voters in the Buckeye State defeated a proposal designed to restrict abortion rights. That doesn’t mean that the heartland state is actually in play, or will be, but it could make Republicans rethink their strategy.
In other words: be careful what you wish for.
Overturning Roe v. Wade was a dream for many conservatives for decades, and when it happened, instead of being a dream come true, it turned out to be a nightmare that cost the GOP their chances to take total control of Congress.
That fact hasn’t been lost on many in the Republican Party, but this week’s results in Ohio just bring the matter home. Abortion could cost the GOP votes and elections. The base needs to accept that fact and focus on other issues.
On Thursday, Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity offered a surprising take on the abortion issue, calling the vote in Ohio, “pretty sobering.” Hannity also warned that abortion restrictions under 15 weeks could even push many Americans away from the GOP.
He then suggested taking former President Bill Clinton’s approach to the issue.
“The fear among many, many conservatives is this will chase away many suburban voters,” Hannity admitted, adding, “I think the American people, and I consider myself pro-life, I believe in the sanctity of life, but I think politically that there is—Republicans have gotta say, as Bill Clinton once said—I never thought I’d quote him—’rare,’ ‘legal’ and I’d add the word[s], ‘very early in a pregnancy.’ That seems to be politically where the country is. Maybe I’m wrong. But we’ll see. That vote in Ohio is pretty, pretty sobering.”
Biden Campaign Sees a Changing America – Does the GOP?
The Biden campaign could get a boost from the abortion debate, but it could also benefit from the GOP’s obsession with the culture wars. Even if that can help shore up the base for 2024, it is still seen as a long-term losing strategy.
Without the economy, a losing abortion strategy, and too much focus on woke culture; the GOP could be in danger of being out of touch. It can win the hardcore base, but that doesn’t matter if it loses on Election Day.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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