Gov. Evers welcomes campaigning with Biden, even though the president's ratings are not great
Molly BeckMOUNT HOREB - Gov. Tony Evers on Monday underscored his support for President Joe Biden, pledging to support a second term if Biden decides to launch a reelection campaign, and endorsing the president's plan to cancel student loan debt.
Biden is visiting Wisconsin and one other battleground state next week in the run-up to the midterm elections. Democratic incumbent Evers is facing a tough fight for a second term against Republican construction executive Tim Michels.
The president's visit comes as support from Wisconsinites is low. In a recent poll conducted by the Marquette University Law School, 40% of those surveyed approved of the job Biden is doing, with 55% disapproving.
But Evers, who was viewed favorably by 46% and unfavorably by 41% in the same poll, said Monday in a campaign stop in Dane County that he welcomes Biden's visit and would support him in the future. That's a contrast to Evers' lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, who on Monday avoided a question about Biden's upcoming visit in his campaign for U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Ron Johnson.
"He’s the president of the United States, we have a good relationship, and so I'm looking forward to it," Evers said at a campaign stop at Hart House Guitars. "As far as the value of campaigning with the president or not, I'll let the people in Wisconsin figure that out," Evers said when asked whether campaigning with the president would hurt his reelection chances given Biden's approval in the state. "We are absolutely working to make sure that, regardless of who the president is, we're focused on the issues that are important to Wisconsinites."
"If they say, 'Evers, we want you there,' that's fine," he added.
Evers said he would support Biden if the president, who turns 80 in November, seeks another term.
"If he ran, yes. I'm not sure he is. But if he ran, yes. If he's our candidate, yes," Evers said.
Evers also said he backed the president's decision to cancel student loan debt accrued by millions of Americans.
Biden announced Wednesday that he is canceling $10,000 in student loan debt for Americans earning less than $125,000 per year. Biden is offering an additional $10,000 of debt forgiveness for students who received Pell Grants in college as a way to target relief toward those from the lowest-income households.
Republicans have criticized the plan, calling the move unfair to Wisconsinites who will shoulder the cost of the plan and did not benefit from it, and have warned it could increase inflation. They have also questioned the legality of Biden's order, signaling a legal challenge likely and the implementation of loan forgiveness unclear.
Evers said Monday he believes the plan will improve the economy.
"I think, long-term, people are going to feel more comfortable that they don't have as much to set aside to pay off their loans," Evers said. "So I just don't understand the concern about that.”
Michels criticized the plan in a statement, saying it does not benefit most Wisconsinites.
"The vast majority of Wisconsinites don't have college loans of their own, and they're already paying the price of Democrats' runaway spending, so they have concerns," Michels said.
"From gas prices, to food at the grocery store, everything is costing more because of Joe Biden and Tony Evers’ failures. I look forward to hearing Biden explain why he's trying to further drive up costs while forcing blue-collar workers to pay for everyone else's college degrees."
Evers made his comments at a guitar shop in downtown Mount Horeb. Corey Hart, the owner of Hart House Guitars, was a recipient of a grant program Evers launched in 2021 to provide money to business owners who wished to utilize a vacant building in a community's business district.
The Main Street Bounceback Program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Evers said Monday about 5,500 grants have been distributed since the program began.
Hart told Evers his business would not have survived without the grant money.
Michels visited Weldall Manufacturing in Waukesha on Monday, according to his campaign's Twitter account.
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Contact Molly Beck at molly.beck@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MollyBeck.