Expand / Collapse search
☰

Joe Biden rallies at Detroit high school ahead of Michigan primary

Published  March 9, 2020 7:20pm EDT
Michigan Primary
FOX 2 Detroit

On the eve of Michigan's Primary, Democratic presidential candidates made a final dash around the state to galvanize enough votes.

While Senator Bernie Sanders held a roundtable discussion on coronavirus at a metro Detroit hotel, former Vice President Joe Biden held a rally at a Detroit high school.

Biden will be speaking at the Renaissance High School, off of Outer Drive.

App users tap the link here to watch online.

While Biden enters the final day of the race in Michigan up in the polls against Sanders, it's the self-proclaimed Democratic socialist that scored a big upset in the 2016 Michigan primary, when he beat out Hillary Clinton for the most delegates.

Before making an appearance at the high school, Biden also presented to fans in a community center in Flint, Michigan. There, he spoke alongside New Jersey Senator Corey Booker, a former opponent on the trail who endorsed him for president.

Prior to going on stage, Biden spoke with FOX 2's Roop Raj about an array of topics, from the Trump, the economy and trade.

"Take a look down the road here. What's going to happen - what is happening with trade? Look at what the president has done. It's hurt manufacturing," Biden said. "It's hurt manufacturing across the board, it hurt agriculture across the board."

RELATED: Sen. Bernie Sanders goes 1-on-1 with Roop Raj

"If I'm elected president, you're going to have the most union-friendly president in the history of the United State of America," he added.

But before Biden can face off against Trump, he must compete in the second-largest voting day as far as delegate count goes on March 10. Both Biden and Sanders traveled across Michigan on Monday, attempting to draw on the differences the two candidates represent and why they are the best for the job.

Sanders has hit Biden hard in recent days over his support for trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Biden has pushed back on that narrative, arguing not supporting trade on the scale of those deals wouldn't be beneficial.

Roop Raj 1-on-1 with Joe Biden

FOX 2's Roop Raj spoke with former Vice President Joe Biden ahead of the Michigan Primary. He talked trade, the economy and why he is the best candidate to win the nomination and general election

"Look, the customers are out there. That's where 80 percent of the customers are, in the rest of the world," he said. "Our workers have to compete with anybody and the idea that Bernie doesn't support any trade anywhere is a narrow focus on what's going to benefit American workers."

He's also received endorsements from several other Michigan leaders, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly). 

RELATED: 2020 Michigan Presidential Primary guide

There are 125 delegates up for grabs in the Michigan primary. While the state's delegate total is dwarfed by larger states in the country, its status as a purple state in the general election makes it a key electoral boundary that candidates will be vying heavily for in the coming months.