Eyes on November: Weekend campaigning for Biden, Trump and Haley

President Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley all hit the campaign trail over the weekend with primaries in both parties fast approaching. 

Biden traveled to South Carolina, where he attended the state Democratic Party’s “First in the Nation” dinner ahead of the Palmetto State’s Feb. 3 Democratic primary. Biden stressed his work to bolster Black Americans and said democracy “really is at stake for the first time in a long time.” 

Trump, meanwhile, traveled to Las Vegas on Saturday for a rally ahead of the state’s Feb. 8 caucuses (as a reminder, Haley is participating in the Feb. 6 primary instead of the caucuses, so she will not be able to earn any delegates awarded through the results of those caucuses). 

Trump focused most of his speech on the southern border, but briefly referenced the Friday ruling that he must pay $83 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll as part of the defamation trial, decrying it as “election interference,” per NBC’s Jake Traylor.

Haley held two rallies in her home state of South Carolina, which will hold its GOP primary on Feb. 24. She sharpened her attacks against Trump, imploring him to “man up” and debate her, and criticizing his “temper tantrums,” per NBC’s Sarah Dean. 

Dean also reports that Haley said her campaign raised $4 million last week, the biggest fundraising week of her campaign, bringing in $1 million in the 24 hours after the New Hampshire primary, $1.6 million after Trump’s threat against Haley donors, and $1.4 million amid news of a proposed RNC resolution declaring Trump the presumptive nominee. 

In other campaign news … 

Three presidents walk into a fundraiser: Biden’s campaign is attempting to hold a “headline-grabbing” fundraiser featuring Biden and former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, write NBC’s Carol E. Lee, Monica Alba and Kristen Welker.

Biden vs. Trump: The New York Times delves into Biden’s plan to take on Trump, which includes appealing to Taylor Swift for a potential endorsement. 

It’s the economy, stupid: White House officials “say they’re increasingly confident the situation on the ground can largely speak for itself” as the economy improves, writes NBC’s Christine Romans. 

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Donor drama: Trump and Haley’s campaigns have been invited to meet this week with a group of GOP donors known as the American Opportunity Alliance, per the New York Times. And Politico reports that donors behind American for Prosperity Action were told that the group would keep supporting Haley in South Carolina, but that defeating Trump would be difficult. 

Friends in Low(country) places: The New York Times explores why Haley has such little public support from South Carolina officials. 

Livin’ on a prayer: Republican pastor Ryan Binkley spoke to Politico about his longshot presidential bid, noting, “Obviously I would love to win some votes.” 

Searching for a home: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who is not seeking re-election this year, is still considering a run for president on a potential third-party ticket and sees a role for himself “as a national icon in the ‘fiscally responsible and socially compassionate’ middle,” CNN reports. 

Ad wars underway: Senate Majority PAC, a group backing Democratic Senate candidates, is placing its first TV ad reservations in Montana and Nevada to support Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Jacky Rosen of Nevada, per Politico.

Border talks: Sen. Krysten Sinema, I-Ariz., has not said if she’s running for re-election, but her potential opponents weighed in on her role in a potential bipartisan immigration deal, NBC’s Alex Tabet reports from Phoenix.

Heated primary: Ahead of New Jersey’s Senate primary to take on embattled Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, First Lady Tammy Murphy is considering a way to appear on the ballot alongside President Joe Biden, even though the president doesn’t plan to endorse in the primary, Politico reports.

Red to Blue: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee named 17 House candidates to its “Red to Blue” program, which supports Democratic challengers, NBC’s Sahil Kapur reports.

Line of attack: Republicans are seizing on illegal immigration and the migrant crisis as their leading line of attack against former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is running in a special election to replace ousted Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.