MINNEAPOLIS _ Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be the keynote speaker at the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's virtual convention Sunday, making an appeal directly to activists in a state President Donald Trump is targeting this fall.
Biden's appearance, which will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook, comes on the heels of a new Minnesota poll showing the former vice president with a slight edge over Trump.
But Trump's campaign is already investing resources and time in Minnesota, a state he nearly won four years ago. DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin said Trump's "failed response" to the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded state Democrats of the true stakes of the November election. "Our party is taking nothing for granted."
Biden pulled off a surprise victory in Minnesota's March 3 Democratic primary election, riding momentum from the endorsement of home-state Sen. Amy Klobuchar to beat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders with more than 38% support.
Biden's address will cap a weekend of party building and campaign training in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic. The party will also be picking delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, which is now scheduled to take place in August. The party moved its state convention online in response to the pandemic.
