Joe Biden condemns President Donald Trump’s trip to Arizona
Jun 23, 2020, 6:15 AM | Updated: 7:22 am
(Getty Images/Mark Makela)
PHOENIX — Former Vice President Joe Biden has condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to visit Arizona on Tuesday amid a surge of coronavirus cases in the state.
In an email to KTAR News 92.3 FM, the Democratic presidential candidate said in a statement that Trump’s priorities are misguided amid the public health crisis.
” … Instead of doing the hard work needed to solve the public health and economic crises facing America, Donald Trump remains focused on his expensive, ineffective and wasteful ‘wall’ on our Southern Border,” Biden said.
Trump is scheduled to start his trip in Yuma for a border wall briefing and border security roundtable discussion before speaking in north Phoenix at 3:40 p.m. at the Students for Trump Convention at Dream City Church (13613 N. Cave Creek Road).
Biden also criticized the president’s planned political event as “reckless and irresponsible,” claiming its intent is to distract voters.
“Make no mistake: this visit is a distraction,” he said.
“It’s a distraction from Donald Trump’s failed response to combat the spread of COVID-19. It’s a distraction from his failure to get Americans — including many in Arizona — the testing we need. It’s a distraction from his inability to offer a concrete, effective reopening plan that’s rooted in science and public health.”
In an effort to turn Arizona blue in the November general election, the Biden campaign expanded its presence in the Grand Canyon State last week by hiring Andrew Piatt as Arizona senior adviser and Jessica Mejía as state director.
In May, a poll conducted by OH Predictive Insights showed Biden to have a comfortable 50% to 43% lead over Trump among Arizona likely voters.
Trump’s last visit to Arizona was on May 5. During the trip, he spent the day in Phoenix touring a Honeywell facility and discussing Native American issues.