Biden to campaign for Heitkamp days before North Dakota election

Former Vice President Joe Biden will campaign in North Dakota alongside Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) on Nov. 1, as the senator fights to hang on to her seat in a deep-red state.

Biden will kick off the “Bring it Home, Heidi!” five-day statewide tour in Fargo next Thursday in the final days of the midterm elections.

His visit comes as the race has been trending more toward Republicans, which improves GOP chances of hanging onto their slim 51-49 seat majority.

Heitkamp faces a tough reelection race against Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) in a state that President Trump won by nearly 36 points in 2016. Recent public polls show Heitkamp trailing Cramer by double-digit margins.

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“As North Dakota’s senator, Heidi’s never forgotten where she comes from – she’s a tireless voice for rural America and a dogged advocate for North Dakota,” Biden said in a statement on Friday.

“Heidi is the real deal – she stands up to both parties to do what’s right by the people she serves, and I hope you’ll help get out the vote and send her back to be North Dakota’s independent voice in the U.S. Senate.”

Heitkamp and Cramer will square off in their final Senate debate Friday night. In last week’s debate, they tussled over Trump’s trade war, campaign ads and the contentious Supreme Court confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh.

Republicans pointed to a spike in enthusiasm among its base following Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Cramer has repeatedly blasted Heitkamp for opposing his nomination, which was nearly derailed by an allegation of sexual assault from when he was in high school.

Kavanaugh has strongly denied the accusations. 

But Heitkamp saw a jolt in fundraising — particularly among small-dollar donations — following her decision to not back Kavanaugh. She reported raising more than $12 million in the first two weeks of October, a staggering figure that’ll help her compete in the remaining days.

Biden, who’s considered a potential 2020 presidential contender, has been traversing the country to stump for Democratic candidates and leverage his ties to working-class Americans.