Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is not shy about disagreeing with President Joe Biden. Yet he is also one of the president’s top surrogates on the campaign trail to stir up support among young Democratic voters.
Although it seems contradictory, Khanna says the push and pull is crucial to his working relationship with the president.
“[I’m] planning to travel extensively to make the case to younger voters to independents [and] to progressives on his economic policies,” Khanna told the Washington Examiner, adding that he has “spoken out candidly where I disagree.”
“I think the fact that I am so vocal still for the president gives people permission to say that they may disagree with the president and we can support him to make sure he wins in 2024,” he said.
Heading into the 2024 election, Republicans have gone on the offensive as they seek to flip control of both the Senate and the White House. That puts the pressure on Biden to keep the Democratic Party united, which has proven to be a challenge as some cracks have formed on a number of key matters.
Progressive Democrats in the House have not been shy to criticize Biden on the administration’s response to the war in Israel, with several calling on the president to stop sending military aid to the country. Khanna has been a vocal supporter for a ceasefire, breaking with the president, who continues to request more funding.
Khanna also criticized Biden after he approved an airstrike in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen last month without congressional approval. The attack prompted outrage from several progressive Democrats who accused the president of violating the Constitution and possibly inserting the United States into a Middle Eastern conflict.
“I go and talk to communities about the importance of a ceasefire with the release of hostages in Gaza and making sure that there’s not starvation there,” Khanna said. “I go out and talk about holding the president accountable to come to Congress before strikes.”
Khanna not only expresses his opposition to such decisions, but he said he also has “direct conversations” with Biden about their disagreements — and the president is receptive.
“He’s always very respectful in terms of my perspective,” Khanna said.
And despite the policy disagreements, Khanna has nevertheless been recruited by Biden’s reelection campaign to appear at events in key primary states such as New Hampshire and South Carolina.
“[It’s] a testament to the administration’s embracing diverse perspectives and wanting people who may disagree with them,” Khanna said. “And that to me, I think, is one of President Biden’s strongest qualities: that he isn’t just surrounding himself with people who are going to agree with him. And he has the wisdom and the confidence to have people representing him who have had disagreements with them.”
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Biden faces a tough reelection fight in November, especially if he undergoes a rematch against former President Donald Trump. Recent polling shows the former president narrowly leading in a head-to-head matchup, putting pressure on Biden to firm up support among all corners of the Democratic Party to win reelection.
The White House referred a Washington Examiner request for comment to the Biden campaign, which did not respond.
