US first lady Jill Biden joins campaigning for Democrat candidates in Virginia, New Jersey

US first lady Jill Biden on Friday set out on a campaign trail for Democrat governors’ contesting in the states of Virginia and New Jersey. The wife of US president Joe Biden made efforts to push for the victory of Biden’s blue party’s nominees as the two states geared for the gubernatorial elections in November.

Jill Biden, on October 15, attempted to boost the Democratic party's political fortunes, Associated Press reported, adding that she was seen campaigning alongside New Jersey incumbent Governor Phil Murphy and former Virginia Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe. Jill campaigned for the two candidates at an early voting rally at Middlesex College in Edison, US. She later joined McAuliffe in the rally at the suburbs of Richmond, the state’s capital city. 

Democrat Governor Phil Murphy is contesting against the Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli. New Jersey businessman and former state lawmaker said in a televised remark that he was confident to unseat liberal Democratic Gov. Philip Murphy despite the 10-point polling deficit in the November 2 race. "If you look at history we do win races but don’t cut ahead until Election Day," the GOP leader told Fox news. "We are right where we need to be at this point in time. We are in a better position than previous gubernatorial candidates, we will carve out the razor-thin margin that we always have in the past," he added. 

“The president of course wants former Gov. McAuliffe to be the future governor of Virginia,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at the briefing. “I will leave it to other outside analysts to convey that off-year elections are often not a bellwether,” Psaki said. “We’re going to do everything we can to help former Gov. McAuliffe,” she added.

(A protester is held back by Jill Biden and her husband President Joe Biden during a primary election night rally in Los Angeles last year. Image: AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

President Barack Obama to campaign for McAuliffe

Democrat Terry McAuliffe appears to be locked in a tighter race and is vouching for support from leading voices including that of Jill Biden. In the days ahead,  former President Barack Obama and former candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams are also expected to campaign for the latter, reports confirmed. Biden is also expected to attend an event in suburban Richmond, Virginia's capital, alongside McAuliffe.  The latter, a longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, is squaring off with a Republican political newcomer, Glenn Youngkin.

The Virginia gubernatorial candidate Youngkin, pledged allegiance to the flag that was carried in the Republican's ‘Stop the Steal’ rally during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Former President US Donald Trump praised the GOP nominee as a "great gentleman, truly successful.” Meanwhile, Jill Biden’s recent governors’ campaign trail participation is the US first lady’s first since last year's presidential campaign rally.