Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who is running in a tightly contested U.S. Senate race in Michigan, criticized President Joe Biden for calling Trump supporters “garbage.”
Slotkin distanced herself from Biden during an appearance on a Michigan radio station Wednesday, Fox News reported.
“He shouldn’t have said it, it’s inappropriate,” Slotkin said. “For me, I just think that kind of talk is the last thing we need in our politics.”
Biden’s divisive remark, which has drawn comparison to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” comment in 2016, went viral right as Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her dark and gloomy closing argument trashing Trump.
“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” Biden said during a video call with Voto Latino.
Slotkin’s opponent, former U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-MI), blasted Biden, Harris, and Slotkin as Biden’s viral moment began to make the rounds.
“Michiganders living paycheck to paycheck aren’t garbage, Joe!” Rogers wrote.
“The clear and disgusting contempt that Biden, Harris, and Slotkin have for Americans who don’t support their garbage policies is all you need to know and why we’re going to win next week,” he added.
Some other Democrats have distanced themselves from Biden’s comments.
A spokesman for Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), one of the most vulnerable incumbents this cycle, told Breitbart News in an exclusive statement that Brown disagrees that Trump supporters are garbage.
“Sherrod doesn’t agree with that and fights for all Ohioans, regardless of who they vote for,” Brown campaign spokesman Matt Keyes said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who will not be up for reelection until 2026, was the first to scramble away from Biden’s remark during an appearance on CNN’s The Source Tuesday night.
He said Biden’s words are “certainly not words that I would choose, and I think it’s important that we remain focused on the contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and not attacking supporters of either candidate.”
