Joe and Jill Biden are making their first Philly visit of 2024 on Jan. 6
The Bidens are bringing their obsession with Philadelphia into the new year.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden plan to return to the Philly area on Jan. 6, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday.
The visit is scheduled for the anniversary of the 2021 insurrection that sought to overturn Biden’s defeat of former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, but the White House was mum on what the couple will do while in the region.
The couple’s frequent visits to the area are hard to miss. President Joe Biden visited Philadelphia nine times in 2023, and at least 16 since taking office in 2021.
The couple has personal ties to the region. Jill Biden grew up in Montgomery County and their grandkids attended the University of Pennsylvania . The president spent his early years north of Philly in Scranton. It doesn’t hurt that it just happens to be located in a key swing state for the 2024 election.
In June, the president held his first big reelection rally in Philly, and at a December fundraiser, he called Philadelphian donors the “backbone” of his campaign.
The president’s first visit of 2023 involved unveiling $500 million in funding for lead pipe replacements in Philadelphia with Vice President Kamala Harris, and the president and first lady returned throughout the year for a variety of reasons including a plug for “Bidenomics,” an announcement of funding for hydrogen energy projects, and an appearance with Nickelodeon — this time without Miranda Cosgrove. President Biden even chose to unveil his federal budget proposal in Philadelphia.
They have also visited for personal matters, drawing attention at their granddaughter Maisy’s graduation the month after seeing her art show, which was followed by an eventful pancake stop at brunch spot Parc . Students rushed to the scene like paparazzi chasing Taylor Swift, and the president even gave an executive order to an excited fan: “Don’t jump!”
Only time will tell what brings the couple to the region on the anniversary of the riot that rebuked Biden’s presidency as he gears up for another potential battle against Trump.