Jill Biden and Donald Trump Jr. are both visiting Minnesota next week to campaign for their respective family members.
The Biden campaign announced on Thursday that Jill Biden will visit the state Wednesday "to meet with Minnesota families and public school educators." It's part of a nationwide "Back-to-School" tour that has seen her holding similar events in battleground states.
The Trump campaign also announced Thursday that the president's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., will headline events in Winona, Duluth and the Twin Cities next week.
Neither Joe Biden himself nor his running mate, California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, have visited Minnesota in the current election cycle. Harris did appear briefly on Wednesday in a virtual, Minnesota-focused event that featured a handful of DFL politicians talking about pandemic-based safety precautions for schools.
Recent activity reflects a growing sense that Minnesota could be a pivotal swing state in the election. The former vice president told a group of reporters last month that he was likely to visit Minnesota himself after Labor Day, but no further details on that possible visit have been made public.
Biden is scheduled to campaign in Michigan, another pivotal state this year, the same day his wife appears in Minnesota. Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence visited the state in August.
While a Republican presidential candidate has not carried Minnesota since 1972, President Donald Trump has made winning the state a priority this year. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns have recently placed substantial TV ad buys.
Patrick Condon • 612-655-7312
