First lady Jill Biden visits Green Bay, tells supporters President Biden will protect Medicare, Social Security

GREEN BAY - First lady Jill Biden visited Green Bay to court older voters as a part of the Seniors for Biden-Harris campaign on Thursday.

"Standing in the way of progress that could help people of all ages, Donald Trump supported ending Medicare as we know it," the first lady said during a news conference at the Brown County Central Library. "He came one vote away from repealing the Affordable Care Act … He wants to cut Social Security to give more tax breaks to his billionaire friends. Make no mistake, Donald Trump is dangerous to our livelihoods.”

Wisconsin was her first stop along her tour of Minnesota, California and key battleground states Nevada and Arizona. The program aims to engage senior voters across the U.S. to reelect President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The campaign is highlighting the contrast between former President Donald Trump’s policies and the work of the Biden-Harris administration to protect programs like Social Security and Medicare.

However, at a rally in Green Bay, in April, Trump stated that if reelected, he would keep Social Security intact.

Forty-five percent of registered voters believe Biden would handle Medicare and Social Security better compared to Trump, according to a Marquette University poll. Jill Biden highlighted President Biden's efforts to make health care more accessible for older Americans.

"He kept insulin at $35 per month for seniors, and for the first time in history, he made sure Medicare can negotiate drug prices directly, something that presidents have been trying to do for decades," Jill Biden said. "He strengthened the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, bringing the uninsured rate lower than any other president has."

Senior Americans could play a key role in the upcoming election, as they vote in higher numbers compared to other age groups. Biden currently holds a narrow lead among voters over the age of 65, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.

Kim Javens of Green Bay attended the first lady's news conference and plans to vote for Biden in November.

President Biden "might have a little bit of age on him, but his mind is still there, and I just feel he's done a lot for the country," Javens said. "He's going to save Social Security, he believes in women's choice, and he wants to keep democracy."

Age is an issue for some voters. A Quinnipiac University poll showed 31% think Biden, 81, "is too old to effectively serve another four-year term as president," compared with Trump who is 77.

But Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez doesn't believe that.

"It's not about the age, it's about the age of the ideas," she said. "And President Biden has been very, very progressive ... He is engaged, he is leading on many of these issues, and I trust him for the next four years to make sure we can move in the right direction."

In her speech, Jill Biden assured Wisconsin voters that President Biden is "willing to work for you every day to make our future better," and is ready to continue the progress he has made on prescription drug costs, Social Security, Medicare and Medicare if reelected.

"This isn't about stopping an extremist, and this election is most certainly not about age. Joe and that other guy [Donald Trump] are essentially the same age. Let's not be fooled. But what this election is about, it's about the character of the person leading our country. It's about finishing the job we started,” Biden said.

Abra Richardson of the Appleton Post-Crescent contributed.

Alyssa Salcedo is a reporter with the Green Bay Press-Gazette. She can be reached at asalcedo@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: First lady campaigns in Green Bay, courts seniors on Medicare, ACA