Presidential Pastime
How President Biden is spending Election Day
The midterms have finally arrived after months of speculation. With pundits and polls alike not predicting a good outing for the Democratic Party, President Biden spent Election Day attempting to drum up support for the Democrats in key swing states, many of which have races that remain neck-and-neck.
Hitting the phones
The president called individual Democratic leaders throughout the day Tuesday to thank them for their support, The Washington Post reported. Biden spoke to a variety of party bigwigs, including Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (N.Y.); North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the head of the Democratic Governors Association Chair; Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.); and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), among others.
Biden also spent time conversing with major players within the Democratic National Committee, including Chair Jaime Harrison. The president also reportedly spoke to DNC workers in a virtual call earlier in the day.
Planning for the future
President Biden is known for being a consistent optimist, even as it appears the Republicans will take control of at least one chamber of Congress. He expressed that optimism even up until the election itself, telling officials that "[the Democrats are] going to surprise the living devil out of people," per The Associated Press. However, sources told AP that administration officials have been privately preparing for a red wave, and working on contingencies for the Democratic Party.
Biden himself is reportedly planning to spend Election Night at the White House watching the returns, and will address the nation on Wednesday about the results.