WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is heading to the Sunshine State on Tuesday where he’ll be attending two campaign receptions, according to the White House.

What You Need To Know

  • Biden is heading to Florida on Tuesday for campaign events

  • He will be in the West Palm Beach and Miami areas

  • A political analyst says the goal is likely to "raise money and put issues on the agenda"

He'll be visiting the Palm Beach and Miami areas, where political science Professor Todd Belt at the George Washington University said the goal is likely twofold.  

"He's there to do two things: raise money, and put issues on the agenda," he said. 

Belt said Biden faces an uphill battle to win Florida, now former President Donald Trump's home state.

Trump carried Florida in 2016 and 2020. The last Democratic president to win the state was Barack Obama in 2012, when Democrats led in registered voters. But now Republicans have about 780,000 more registered voters than Democrats. 

"Florida used to be a swing state, used to be very close and used to be one of those who would go back and forth between Republicans and Democrats," Belt said. "It's not really that way anymore."

The White House and other Democrats have often made Florida an example on the national stage when it comes to issues like legislation restricting abortion in the state.

"Florida has a statewide initiative on the ballot regarding abortion, and he really wants to highlight that because Democrats have been very successful using that issue," Belt said. 

The campaign Floridians Protecting Freedom received enough signatures to put the issue on the 2024 general election ballot —  though it is pending a review from the Florida Supreme Court due to a legal challenge from Attorney General Ashley Moody. 

It would appear as Amendment 4 and allow women to get abortions before “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.”

Over the weekend, first lady Jill Biden was also in Florida for a political finance event for the Biden Victory Fund in Palm Harbor. In her remarks, she criticized state Republicans for “banning books.”