Trump, Biden Expected To Visit Key Battleground Minnesota On Friday

Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump are expected to visit the key battleground state of Minnesota on Friday. Biden will visit St. Paul, while Trump will hold an event in Rochester.

The Biden campaign says the Democratic nominee will “discuss bringing Americans together to address the crises facing the country and winning the battle for the soul of the nation,” during the Minnesota event. Trump’s event will be held at Rochester International Airport.

Trump hopes to be the first Republican to win Minnesota since Richard Nixon in 1972. The 2016 cycle was a close race in Minnesota, with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton only winning by a 1.5 point margin over Trump, 46.4% to 44.9%.

The Cook Political Report has rated Minnesota, which has 10 electoral votes, as “lean Democratic.” The Real Clear Politics polling average shows Biden with a 4.7 point lead over Trump in the state.

The two candidates are racing to shore up support in key battlegrounds in the remaining days of the race. Biden will hold an event with former President Barack Obama in Michigan on Saturday, while Trump will visit Georgia on Sunday, a traditionally red state that has become a battleground this cycle.

Recent national polling shows Biden leading Trump. A nationwide poll from CNN released Wednesday showed Biden leading Trump by 12 points nationwide, 54% to 42%.