Biden back to Newton Thursday

With one week left until caucus night, the former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden will make his return to Newton to rally local supporters a final time.

The Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. senator will host a community event 1:45 p.m. Thursday at a yet-to-be-determined location in Newton. Doors for Biden’s campaign event open at 1:15 p.m.

Biden last visited Newton in August 2019 at Legacy Plaza. At that time, the longtime politician spoke with constituents for roughly an hour or so about his past running mate and former president, the current president and issues like climate change, immigration and the state of the middle class.

“Unless we restore the middle class, we got a real problem,” Biden said in August. “Just like President (Donald) Trump inherited everything else … he inherited a growing economy. But now he’s in the process of squandering it. Like everything else he inherited.”

Biden attracted a large crowd during his short stay in Newton. Back then, his campaign had only been operational for about four months.

As caucuses approach, voter support of the former vice president to Barack Obama “is holding steady,” according to a Jan. 10 article by the Des Moines Register’s Stephen Gruber-Miller. An Iowa poll released earlier this month by Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom identified Biden in fourth place behind U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Gruber-Miller reported.