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Joe Biden on Thursday said that he was the best choice to defeat President Donald Trump, bring together a divided nation and chase hate back into hiding.
“I didn’t realize that hate never goes away,” Biden said at a fundraiser hosted by former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and his wife, Micki. “It just hides. When it’s given oxygen, it comes out from under the rocks. It comes out from under the rocks and that’s exactly what I think has happened with this president.”
The former vice president was completing a two-day campaign swing through Texas. On Wednesday, he gave a keynote address at the National Baptist Convention’s Mid-Winter meeting. About 140 people attended the fundraiser at Rawlings’ home. Organizers said they met their goals but didn’t say how much was raised.
Biden, the frontrunner in the March 3 Texas Democratic presidential primary, has made electability a core issue of his campaign, telling The Dallas Morning News this week that he had the broadest coalition of any candidate in the race.
At the fundraiser, he said it was important that the next president revitalize the nation’s middle-class and help develop an economy that works for all American, not just the rich.
“There’s so much within our grasp,” Biden said. “The single biggest impediment is Donald Trump.”
On Wednesday, Biden told The News that as the party’s nominee, he would commit cash and resources to turning Texas from red to blue.
Biden reiterated that pledge at the fundraiser, adding that it was important for Democrats to win legislative seats across the country, as well as take back the U.S. Senate.
Texas Democrats are nine seats away from taking control of the state House for the first time since 2001.
Rawlings, who endorsed Biden last year, said he’s excited about the former vice president’s coattails.
“With him at the top of the ticket, I think we’ve got a good chance to take over that statehouse,” Rawlings said.
The former mayor, however, said the primary goal was winning the White House.
“The number one job is to beat Donald Trump,” Rawlings said. “We have to put our best, battle-worn fighter to make sure we take down this guy. He is the best that we’ve got, and he can win.”
Biden described this year’s presidential election as one of the most critical in history.
“Character is on the ballot this time,” Biden said. “The character of America is on the ballot,and it makes a gigantic difference to our short-term and our long-term security as well.”