When Joe Biden pulled New Hampshire’s First in the Nation presidential primary off the Democrats’ calendar, Joyce Craig was there to urge Granite State Democrats to write in the 81-year-old incumbent on the ballot.
And two weeks after the disastrous debate that would soon end his candidacy, Craig again refused to abandon Biden. While she expressed “concerns” about his performance, she pointedly declined to join the chorus of Democratic voices calling for Biden to drop his bid for another four-year term.
So, when President Joe Biden and socialist U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) hold an official White House event at NHTI in Concord touting the administration’s policies on lowering prescription drug prices on Tuesday — exactly two weeks before Election Day — will Craig be there, too?
As of late Monday night, the answer was “no comment.”
The Craig campaign declined to respond to multiple questions regarding whether she plans to appear with Biden. There is no mention of his visit on her social media or campaign website, either.
Craig is scheduled to participate in the NHPR gubernatorial debate at noon. That wraps up at 1 p.m., which would leave plenty of time to get a picture or two with the incumbent Democratic president.
The question Granite State political insiders are asking is, “Will she?” Or rather, “Should she?”
Democrats who spoke to NHJournal on background were divided.
“In my opinion, it doesn’t hurt,” one progressive activist said. “Bernie is an independent, and I bet he’s more popular in New Hampshire than President Biden. But I wouldn’t be campaigning with him out in the suburbs.”
A mainstream Democratic operative said the focus should be on more than just the Craig campaign, it should also be on overall turnout. And the operative said Biden’s appearance could boost Democrats a bit.
“You need to make sure you turn out the hardcore Democratic voters, so Craig should show up. You’ve got to make sure people turn out down ballot, too.”
According to reporting by WMUR, Biden is also planning to stop by a state Democratic Party campaign office, which may offer Craig an opportunity to appear with the president away from reporters and their cameras.
University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala said Craig should appear with the president.
“If I could piggyback on someone else’s crowd and speak to a lot of my party’s activist base, who will then get out and knock on doors for me next two weekends, that’s worth an hour of my time.”
The bigger problem for Craig may be Sanders, not Biden. On Monday, she was in the blue environs of western Massachusetts with progressive Gov. Maura Healey for another fundraiser. Appearing with an unabashed socialist who supports large tax increases and socialized medicine could add to the Republicans’ narrative that Craig is too liberal to be trusted with the Corner Office.
“In the home stretch of this campaign, Joyce Craig would rather collect checks from Massachusetts liberals than face questions from voters about her failed record in Manchester or her $160 million tax hike,” her Republican opponent Kelly Ayotte said in a statement Monday.
On the Jack Heath radio show, Gov. Chris Sununu was asked if Craig’s strategy is to “lay low and just hope that Harris at the top of the ticket, carries her across the finish line?”
“Oh, that’s 100 percent the strategy,” Sununu said.
If so, voters should find out Tuesday when Biden hits the campaign trail in New Hampshire — with or without Craig.
