With campaign cash coming into Joe Biden’s coffers more slowly than his 2020 Democratic rivals, the former vice president reversed a long-standing position and will now welcome help from outside, free-spending super PACs.
“In this time of crisis in our politics, it is not surprising that those who are dedicated to defeating Donald Trump are organizing in every way permitted by current law to bring an end to his disastrous presidency. Nothing changes unless we defeat Donald Trump,” Biden campaign spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said in a statement.
Last month, a different Biden campaign spokesperson, T.J. Ducklo, told reporters his campaign is committed to rejecting any super PACs that may join the race.
“The attacks aimed at this campaign from dark money groups helping Donald Trump spread his outlandish lies and slander have only served as a reminder of the urgent need for campaign finance reform,” Ducklo said. “Which is exactly why since the beginning of this campaign, Biden for president has not and will not welcome the help of super PACs. That goes for those that purport to help him, despite his explicit condemnation of their existence.”
Voicing opposition to super PACS has long been a point of pride for Biden, who wrote in his 2017 book Promise Me, Dad that if he ran in the 2016 race, he would have rejected any help from a super PAC.
“I knew there was big money out there for me. But I also knew people were sick of it all… rejecting super PAC money wasn’t a hardship for me,” he wrote.
The flip-flop is a tacit admission by the Biden campaign that it’s growing concern that it may not have enough money to compete in Democratic primary. Should outside groups begin fundraising on behalf of Biden’s candidacy, the former vice president would be the only candidate in the race to have a super PAC on his behalf.
A Washington Examiner analysis found that Biden’s campaign burn rate is one of the highest of any top-tier presidential primary candidate since 2008. In July through September, Biden’s campaign spent 12.1% more than it took in and more than 30% higher than his chief rivals, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
In the third quarter of 2019, Biden’s campaign raised $15.7 million and spent $17.6 million. The only candidate with a higher spending deficit was California Sen. Kamala Harris, who raised $11.8 million and spent $14.5 million.
One of Biden’s top rivals, Sanders, released a statement attacking the decision.
“The former Vice President has been unable to generate grassroots support, and now his campaign is endorsing an effort to buy the primary through a super PAC that can rake in unlimited cash from billionaires and corporations,” his campaign manager said in a statement. “That’s not how we defeat Trump. It’s a recipe to maintain a corrupt political system which enriches wealthy donors and leaves the working class behind.”
