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President Joe Biden and Jill Biden made an unannounced trip back to Wilmington, Delaware, Tuesday night to vote in the state’s Democratic primary — where the only contested race is a convicted criminal.
The Bidens came hand in hand to The Tatnall School to cast their vote.
The president did not reveal who he voted for, but answered questions from reporters about the war in Ukraine, the stock market and inflation, while ignoring a question about the brew train strike.
‘The question cannot be answered. It is difficult to estimate. It is clear that the Ukrainians have made significant progress. But it will be a long haul,” he said when asked if Ukraine’s recent victories against the Russians marked the turning point of the war.
The White House didn’t announce that the Bidens would make the trek until after the motorcade left the South Lawn ramp—because the Marine One takeoff area was still set up for the earlier Inflation Reduction Act event.
The White House gave no reason for the trip, but the president revealed it on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews: “To vote!” he told reporters.
Dramatically, the state auditor’s race in Delaware involves a convicted criminal, who has a large photo of Biden on her webpage organizing reelection.
President Joe Biden (right) holds hands with First Lady Jill Biden (left) as they turned up at Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware to vote in the state’s primaries.
The president and first lady are captured Tuesday night as they walk into their polling stations at Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
President Joe Biden spoke to reporters after casting his vote in the Democratic primary in Delaware. He answered questions about Ukraine, the stock market and inflation, but avoided talking about the railway strike on brewing
First lady Jill Biden walks out of her Delaware polling station Tuesday night after casting a vote in the state’s primaries.
‘To vote!’ President Joe Biden let the cat out about why he and First Lady Jill Biden took an unannounced trip back to Wilmington, Delaware Tuesday night.
President Joe Biden (left) and First Lady Jill Biden (right) walk the tarmac at Joint Base Andrew Tuesday evening to board Air Force One for the speedy journey to Wilmington, Delaware
President Joe Biden salutes from the top of the stairs before boarding the Air Force on a Tuesday night, as he and First Lady Jill Biden take a quick trip to Delaware to vote in the state’s Democratic primary — which sees a convicted criminal is on the ballot
The incumbent, Kathleen McGuiness, is being challenged by Lydia York after a jury found McGuiness guilty in July on three felony charges: conflict of interest, official misconduct and non-compliance with state procurement law.
In fact, the state’s Democratic head of government, John Carney, is on the cusp of removing McGuiness from office after she’s convicted — but if she wins the primaries and general election on Tuesday, she could take her job back.
The jury found McGuiness not guilty of felony charges of theft and harassment.
It was the first time in Delaware history that a sitting elected official was convicted, according to Delaware’s Cape Gazette.
The charges stem from McGuiness’s hiring her daughter — at a time when employees had left the government due to short-time work — and depositing her salary into a joint bank account.
State auditor Kathleen McGuiness (left), who was convicted in July of their crimes, uses a photo of President Joe Biden (right) eating ice cream on her official campaign website
McGuiness is challenged by attorney Lydia York (pictured), who, if elected, would become the third black person to be elected statewide in Delaware, after Treasurer Chip Flowers and Democratic Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester
McGuiness violated state government procurement laws by giving a group called My Campaign Group a no-bid contract when she shouldn’t have, with prosecutors insisting that the receipts were structured so as not to incur punishment.
The theft charge was based on McGuiness sharing a back account with her daughter, which turned out to be a starter bank account that parents often open for their children.
Crime harassment charges were based on allegations that McGuiness harassed employees who questioned the hiring of her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend.
On the main page of her campaign website, McGuiness has a photo of her posing with Biden, eating an ice cream cone.
York, McGuiness’ rival on the Democratic vote, has played a major role in Delaware’s Democratic politics in recent years and would become the third black person to hold a statewide election.
York would be treasurer Chip Flowers and the incumbent Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester to follow.
The Bidens were grounded in Delaware for a little over an hour before boarding Air Force One to return to D.C.