3 key takeaways of Joe Biden’s Maine journey

President Joe Biden introduced three of Maine’s high politicians with him on a visit to the state on Friday, one thing which will immediate marketing campaign reverberations into subsequent yr.

Financial coverage and manufacturing had been the main target of the Democratic president’s remarks in Auburn, however the trek can’t be separated from a coming election in 2024 that may as soon as once more put Maine’s 2nd Congressional District someplace close to the middle of the nationwide map.

The political themes had been marked by Biden exchanging sort phrases with U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, the centrist Democrat from that swing district who stood towards most of the president’s priorities.

Listed below are three of the important thing issues we realized from the five-hour journey.

Golden made Republicans glad by embracing Biden.

Biden left three seats for Golden, U.S. Sen. Angus King and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine’s 1st District and on Air Drive One and the helicopter that took the president from the Brunswick airport to Auburn. The interaction between Golden and Biden was value an in depth look.

Former President Donald Trump received the third-term congressman’s district in 2016 and 2020, and Golden has taken high-profile stances in opposition to key Biden objectives together with his “Construct Again Higher” spending plan and a stalled scholar debt aid agenda.

When Golden got here as much as communicate forward of Biden in Auburn, he stated he sees the president’s insurance policies as the start of a dismantling of an economic system that despatched jobs abroad, including that Individuals are being fed a false narrative that conservatives or liberals are dangerous folks.

“Fortunately, President Biden is just not the kind of chief that desires to pressure this gadget of alternative upon us,” he stated.

Biden returned the favor. Regardless that a guide by two journalists final yr stated a high adviser thought of primarying Golden over his opposition to the Construct Again Higher invoice, the president gushed over the congressman’s “lovely spouse and little daughter I simply met” and known as him an unbiased voice for his district.

“You’re doing an excellent job, pal,” he stated.

Republicans are paying consideration. A spokesperson for his or her Home marketing campaign arm thanked Pingree on Twitter for a photograph of Golden and Biden and stated it might be in advertisements quickly.

The president’s speech was tailor-made to Maine however got here with hiccups.

Trump got here to Maine usually and usually made nationwide information in his appearances, between saying in 2016 former Republican presidential nominee who criticized him had as soon as begged for his endorsement to evaluating an e-mail probe into Hillary Clinton with Watergate that yr.

The present president’s speech was comparable in theme to different financial addresses he has made in current months, contrasting “Bidenomics” with conservative “trickle-down economics” and the popular insurance policies of “MAGA Republicans” aligned with Trump.

However he peppered it with references to Maine, together with current flooding alongside the Androscoggin River and noting mills that had closed in addition to current occasions together with the opening of North America’s first wooden fiber insulation plant at a former mill in Madison.

There have been some points with the speech. Biden famous the 2001 closure of the Bates textile mill in Lewiston, which he known as “Lewistown.” He stated the previous Bucksport paper mill was now farming sustainable salmon despite the fact that it stays within the design part. He additionally repeated a declare that was known as false by the Washington Submit in April on deficit discount.

Biden gave a platform to state-level figures attempting to rise.

The character of politics in Auburn led to combined firm at Auburn Manufacturing. Trump’s appearances right here had been Republican-only affairs, whereas Mayor Jason Levesque, a former Republican congressional candidate brazenly contemplating a run for increased workplace down the highway, had a talking function forward of the president on Friday.

Seats had been additionally saved for different distinguished Maine conservatives, together with Sen. Eric Brakey, who sat subsequent to actor Patrick Dempsey. Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, the nominal chief of an rebel group of State Home conservatives, was pictured taking a photo with Golden and his younger daughter whereas mulling a run towards the congressman.

Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, somebody who’s broadly seen as a possible candidate for increased workplace, used his attendance to notice in an announcement that Mills had as soon as vetoed a “Purchase American” invoice that he plans to carry again for consideration subsequent yr whereas lauding Biden’s new govt order on that subject.

It was a throwback form of political go to at which dignitaries on each side bought an opportunity to point out off agendas that may form Maine politics for years to come back.