Former President Biden Endorses Candidates in Georgia and Massachusetts Primaries

He backed Keisha Lance Bottoms in the Georgia gubernatorial race and Dan Koh, who is seeking an open House seat in Massachusetts. In California's gubernatorial race, Xavier Becerra, Biden's former Health and Human Services secretary, has gained endorsements after Eric Swalwell withdrew, and is highlighting his administration experience.

These developments occur as Democrats pivot toward critiquing President Donald Trump's economic record in the 2026 midterms. The party has largely ignored Trump's comments about Biden, framing the 2024 election loss around affordability issues. Polling from Harvard-Harris this year shows 53% of voters view the economy as worse under Trump, with 62% attributing the decline to him.

Biden left office with approval ratings below 40%, the first one-term Democratic president since Jimmy Carter. He pardoned his son Hunter Biden after promising not to do so and suggested he could have won the 2024 election unlike Kamala Harris. Former President Barack Obama campaigned for Democrats in 2025, but Biden did not participate until after those elections.

In a speech to Nebraska Democrats, Biden stated that his administration handed Trump the strongest economy in the world. He later commemorated his 2020 South Carolina primary win by noting Trump's net job loss in his first term. Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Fleming Kleeb said candidates who focused on Biden's deliverables are earning his endorsements and will win due to his contributions to party and national infrastructure.

Dan Koh, a former deputy White House assistant, cited Biden's 83% approval in his district, which supported Biden by 27 points and Harris by 21 points in past elections. Koh said Trump's actions have made people miss Biden's leadership and policies.

Xavier Becerra emphasized his experience declaring emergencies during crises, asking at a town hall who among candidates had handled such issues at California's scale. In an April 28 debate, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan criticized Becerra's handling of migrant children, monkeypox, and COVID-19 under Biden.

Becerra responded by noting the crises were managed. In Georgia, Republicans have criticized Bottoms' endorsement, with Trump-endorsed candidate Burt Jones stating on X that she and Biden want to repeat past issues from her Atlanta mayoral term. Bottoms, an early Biden supporter, turned down a Cabinet role and served briefly in his administration.

and Republican Views Republican Governors

Association communications director Kollin Crampton said Biden's administration led to inflation, open borders, and a coverup of his mental acuity, adding that they will highlight his endorsements in November. Seth Moulton, challenging Sen. Ed Markey in Massachusetts, said urging Biden to quit in 2024 has helped his campaign by showing courage to speak truth.