Former President Donald J. Trump is set to focus on immigration and border policy today as he campaigns in Michigan and Wisconsin, two key battleground states in the Midwest.
Mr. Trump and fellow Republicans are aiming to shift the focus of voters to the border issue, especially as President Biden and Democrats are gaining confidence in their ability to center the campaign around abortion following recent court rulings in Florida.
In a significant decision on Monday, the Florida Supreme Court overturned long-standing precedent by ruling that the State Constitution does not protect abortion rights, allowing a six-week ban to be implemented. Mr. Biden strongly criticized the ruling, calling it “outrageous” and stating that it would make medical care even more difficult to access for millions of women in Florida and the South.
However, the court also ruled that a proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee abortion rights until fetal viability could be included on the ballot in November.
This means that Floridians will directly vote on abortion after experiencing a near-total ban for several months, a move that Democrats hope will boost turnout and potentially give them a competitive edge in a state that has been increasingly leaning towards Republicans.
Wisconsin is among the states holding presidential primaries on Tuesday, and voters there will also decide on two ballot measures proposed by the state’s Republican-led Legislature to amend the State Constitution regarding private funding and staffing of election offices.
Additionally, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York are holding primary elections today. While both Mr. Trump and President Biden have secured their nominations, a small but notable resistance to their candidacies remains within their respective parties.
Mr. Biden won both Michigan and Wisconsin in the 2020 election. Mr. Trump’s visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan, comes after a weaker-than-expected performance in the Michigan primary against Ms. Haley. Grand Rapids was a stronghold for Ms. Haley in that race, with over a third of residents in Kent County supporting her. Mr. Trump’s second event of the day will be in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Activists in New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin are encouraging voters to cast primary protest votes to express their dissatisfaction with Mr. Biden’s handling of the Gaza conflict. Despite some efforts by the president to address divisions within the Democratic Party on the war, the protest movement against Mr. Biden continues in upcoming primaries.
Heba Mohammad, a spokesperson for Listen to Wisconsin, a group advocating for the uncommitted vote, stated that she would not vote for Mr. Biden in the general election under any circumstances. She criticized Mr. Biden for not taking their demands seriously in a local television interview.
On the other hand, Mr. Trump has voiced criticism of Mr. Biden’s handling of the Gaza conflict but has not provided specifics on what he would do differently if he were in office. He has also made controversial statements, suggesting that Jewish voters who support Democrats hate Israel and their religion.
