Jill Biden and Rep. Susan Wild talk education and workforce development in Allentown

First lady Jill Biden speaks at an event in Allentown July 2, 2024 (Capital-Star photo by John Cole)

ALLENTOWN—- First Lady Jill Biden returned to the Keystone State on Tuesday to join U.S. Rep. Susan Wild (D-7th District) and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to tout policies from President Joe Biden’s administration on education and workforce development.

“No matter how many places I go, it’s always special to come back home to Pennsylvania,” Biden, a native of the Philadelphia suburbs and longtime teacher, said at Lehigh Carbon Community College. “And it’s even better to come to a community college.”

Standing in front of a banner that read “Classroom to Career,” Biden emphasized the administration’s commitment to education policies, saying the president’s “ ambitious new proposal ” would give every student in America the opportunity to take career-related community college courses while still in high school. She also highlighted President Biden’s call for “free, high quality universal pre-school,” and increasing the pay for early childhood educators.

Biden’s visit is a part of CHC on the Road, an initiative aimed at having lawmakers and White House officials engage with Latino communities. Tuesday’s visit in Allentown was the 11th visit along this tour to regions with large Latino populations.

Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, which Wild represents, is home to roughly 165,000 Latinos . That makes it the second largest concentration of Latinos in the state’s congressional delegation, behind only U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle’s (D-Philadelphia) 2nd District , according to U.S. Census data.

While the visit on Tuesday was not a campaign stop, Democrats and Republicans have been courting Latino voters in Pennsylvania and other battleground states, as recent polling suggests Biden doesn’t hold the same level support with Latinos compared to the 2020 election.

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Speakers also highlighted the Lehigh Valley’s history of being a manufacturing and distribution hub.

“In many ways, the Lehigh Valley has been a place of transformation, where iron ore turns to steel and steel to prosperity,” Biden said. “And you’re still transforming today.”

Biden also touted the executive order President Biden signed last month, that protects some undocumented spouses of citizens from deportation, and expedites work permits for DACA recipients, also known as “Dreamers.”

Following the speaking program, Wild led a community listening session, with Biden, White House Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden, Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, and others from the community.

Dr. Ann Bieber, President of the Lehigh Carbon Community College, promoted the school’s dual enrollment program benefiting high school students, and thanked the Biden administration’s stimulus funding for helping boost its workforce training and pre-apprenticeship programs.

Victoria Montero of St. Luke’s University Health Network, highlighted its mentoring programs that benefit Latinos in the community.

Heidee Rosado, an emergency room nurse at St. Luke’s Health, told her personal story of coming to Pennsylvania from Puerto Rico at 9 years old and joining the program at St. Luke’s at 16 years old.

Biden did not take any questions from reporters following the event, but conducted a brief interview with La Mega Radio, a local Spanish-language outlet, according to pool reports.

Wild held an event at Allentown Arts Park a few blocks away shortly after the event to tout the work the Allentown Health Bureau was doing with the Maternal and Child Health Program.

Speaking with reporters afterward, Wild was asked if President Biden should step aside, after his shaky performance in a debate with former President Donald Trump last week.

“I’m not talking politics today,” Wild said. “I’m here to focus on maternal health at this event, and on education and workforce opportunities earlier at the event with Dr. Biden.” She added that she has not had conversations with constituents about Biden’s debate performance.

Wild, first elected to Congress in 2018, is facing GOP state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in November. Her campaign announced on Tuesday that it had  raised more than $1.5 million in the most recent quarter. The Cook Political Report rates the race in PA-07 as a toss-up.

President Biden is scheduled to travel with the first lady to Philadelphia on Sunday to speak at a teachers’ convention .

Sunday’s conference will be his ninth visit to the state in 2024. His most recent visit in Pennsylvania was in Philadelphia in May with Vice President Kamala Harris to launch the campaign’s Black Voters for Biden-Harris initiative . Jill Biden has also made several campaign appearances in the state this year, most recently in June when she spoke in Lancaster and Pittsburgh highlighting the issue of reproductive rights in the 2024 election.

Polling has consistently shown Biden and Trump locked in a close race for Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes.

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