With the congressional midterms approaching, some vulnerable Democrats are still hesitant to be associated with President Joe Biden, even as his public image has been bolstered by good news in recent weeks.
The Hill reports that Biden has recently notched several major legislative wins and has seen his approval numbers recover slightly from record lows earlier in the summer. But the president's upswing has not yet boosted enthusiasm among Democrats on the campaign trail.
As primary season closes, there have been signs of that changing, and some experts believe Democrats would do well to ride Biden's coattails.
"Democrats can't possibly think that Republicans won't put them in ads with Biden even if he physically doesn't appear with him," Washington University political scientist and associate professor at George Michael Cornfield told The Hill. "They're going to be linked to Biden, so they might as well make the most of it.
"The benefits, I think, clearly outweigh the costs," he added.
Ohio Senate candidate Tim Ryan and gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley, both Democrats, did not attend Biden's event during a recent trip to Ohio, and neither has appeared with Biden on the campaign trail of late, according to The Hill.
Though she attended an event with the president this year, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, sought to disassociate herself from Biden with a recent campaign ad that told voters, "She doesn't work for Joe Biden. She works for you."
According to an average of polls from RealClearPolitics, Biden's approval rating sagged to 37% in late July, dragged down by the soaring costs of housing, food, gas, and other essential goods.
The recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, coupled with falling gas prices and a successful counterterrorism mission that killed a senior al Qaeda leader, have helped shift the momentum in Biden's favor.
A Yahoo News-YouGov poll released Wednesday revealed that Biden's approval rating is at its highest point since May, though it is still 40%.
With Biden's image on the rebound, a few Democrats have started to indicate that they are open to his help heading into the general election.
"He's a great man," Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., told CNN Wednesday after securing his state's Democratic gubernatorial nomination. "He's a great president. I can't wait for him to get down here. I need his help. I want his help. He's the best I've ever met."
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who is running in one of the most scrutinized Senate races in the country, gave a tepid approval for Biden to make an appearance with him on the campaign trail.
"I will welcome anybody that comes to Arizona, travel around the state at any time, as long as I'm here, if I'm not up in Washington in session, and talk about what Arizona needs," Kelly told CNN on Sunday.
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