Rust Belt voters came out strong for Donald Trump in the 2016 election, but Joe Biden recently suggested he’s the one they truly love.
Rust Belt voters came out strong for Donald Trump in the 2016 election, but Joe Biden recently suggested he's the one they truly love.
Biden made the comment during a Monday interview with Megyn Kelly on NBC News' 'Today' show.
The two were discussing the possibility of a Biden 2020 bid when Kelly commented, "the blue-collar Rust Belt-ers you need to win already love Donald Trump."
"They love me more," Biden responded. He also noted he understands the Rust Belt.
"Donald Trump has no notion what those people are going through...It's not a criticism; it's an observation," the former vice president remarked. "I understand what built this country. The only thing I know is the middle class, their hopes and aspirations, because it's where I come from. It's what I am."
According to Politico, Biden is confident in his voter support at large and believes he's the Democrat with the best chance of beating President Trump in 2020.
Citing a number of people close to the former vice president, the news outlet reports, "For the first time…Biden sees an argument for a candidacy for which he is the only answer."
A July survey by Public Policy Polling suggests the view is not entirely unfounded.
In a hypothetic face-off with Trump, Biden came out with the largest margin of victory at 54/39. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris also tallied victories, though their leads were not as significant.
While Biden remains unsure about his 2020 plans, he has spent some time looking back on 2016 presidential elections.
He recently told Oprah Winfrey that though he doesn't regret his decision to stay out of the 2016 race, as his son had just passed, he does, "regret that [he is] not president."
