Biden Skips Trips to Arizona and West Virginia That Were Intended to Tout Spending Packages

Joe Biden’s travel schedule is raising eyebrows as he tries to rally liberal and centrist Democrats around his infrastructure, social welfare, and climate spending priorities.

But instead of attempting to demonstrate the bully pulpit’s power in Arizona and West Virginia, two linchpin senators’ home states, Biden this week is making trips to Maryland and Pennsylvania, after flying to Connecticut last Friday. And pressure is mounting on Biden to broker a deal before November’s Virginia gubernatorial election and the 2022 midterm election cycle.

Biden is not campaigning for his $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package and what is expected to be a $2 trillion or so social welfare and climate-focused measure because they are unpopular in more conservative-leaning states, such as Arizona and West Virginia, according to Republican strategist Brian Johnson.