Live blog: President Biden visits ABQ for one last midterm push
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President Joe Biden visited Albuquerque Thursday, making one last midterm push before Election Day. For a few hours, his visit put a national spotlight on New Mexico’s local elections, the heated battle brewing at the polls, and the saga involving his student loan debt plan. Click on the video above for a breakdown of his visit.
Update: 6 p.m.
President Biden is already on the way to San Diego, where he has another political event planned.
Update: 4:10 p.m.
President Biden is speaking now at the Gallegos Community Center on Albuquerque’s West Side.
Update: 2:18 p.m.
The president exits the stage and meets with crowd members. He will travel in the motorcade to a rally organized by New Mexico Democrats.
Update: 1:55 p.m.
President Biden takes to the stage at CNM, speaking on higher education and his student loan forgiveness program.
Update: 1:30 p.m.
Local elected officials took to the stage, speaking on higher education at CNM. Officials include U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez and Melanie Stansbury, Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, and CNM President Tracy Hartzler.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham also spoke. The governor and the president will also appear together at a rally organized by the Democratic Party.
Update: 12:45-1:02 p.m.
The presidential motorcade travels from Kirtland AFB to CNM.
Update: 12:41 p.m.
President Biden steps off Air Force One and greets local politicians and military members, with Secretary Haaland accompanying him.
Update: 12:23 p.m.
Air Force One arrives at Kirtland Air Force Base.
Statement from Steve Pearce, chairman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, on Biden’s visit:
“President Biden’s visit is obvious political theater. It’s a desperate attempt by Democrats to get a big name in at the last minute to salvage their losing election effort. Democrats know they’re in trouble, and Biden’s visit is a way to try to change the national and local narrative away from the real issues that matter to New Mexicans and others: inflation, crime, education, border security and the economy. Biden’s visit is a simple act of desperation by the Democrats.”
Republican candidate for governor, Mark Ronchetti, told KOB 4:
“There are real issues that people are concerned about, and unfortunately, I don’t think this president’s in touch with that, and I think this governor brought the president in for political purposes, but unfortunately, it was a missed opportunity.”