President Biden and Vice President Harris went to North Carolina on Tuesday to celebrate the recent anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and criticize Republicans’ health care plans.
Biden gave a speech in Raleigh, the state's capital that his campaign sees as a possible win in November, after he lost to former President Trump by about 75,000 votes in 2020. potential flip opportunity in November after he lost it to former President Trump by roughly 75,000 votes in 2020.
The visit was timed to coincide with the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act becoming law, but Biden used the trip to broadly criticize Trump and Republicans for trying to limit abortion and reduce health care coverage.
“Kamala and I have come back to North Carolina to celebrate the Affordable Care Act and remind all of us that we can’t take anything for granted,” Biden said.
Biden noted Trump and the Republicans in Congress unsuccessfully tried dozens of times to repeal the law known as ObamaCare. He also seized on a budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee that called for cuts to the Affordable Care Act and entitlement programs.
“My predecessor and MAGA officials are going after seniors and people with disabilities. As you well know, they’re going after women as well,” Biden said.
The president cited Trump’s comments taking credit for the end of Roe v. Wade, as well as his remarks during the 2016 campaign in which Trump suggested women who had an abortion should face some type of punishment.
“While there are those that want to take us back in time, all of us together are determined to move us forward,” Biden said. “And here’s the future I see. I see a future where we defend democracy not diminish democracy. I see a future where health care is a right, and we restore the freedom to choose.”
North Carolina is shaping up to be a major battleground in November, with both the presidential election and a gubernatorial race atop the ticket.
A Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll released on Tuesday morning found Biden had narrowed Trump’s lead in North Carolina from 9 percentage points to 6 percentage points.
