President Biden to visit Portland, Seattle next week; his first visit since taking office

SEATTLE (AP) — The White House said Friday that President Joe Biden will travel to the Pacific Northwest next week, visiting both Portland and Seattle in his first visit to the region as president.

Additional details are expected in the coming days, but The Seattle Times reported the White House said next Friday’s visit in Seattle will center on the administration’s efforts “to continue bringing down costs for American families and building a more resilient economy.”

A White House release said that the president will start his trip to the region in Portland Thursday to discuss investments from the infrastructure package.

The visit comes amid sagging national approval numbers for the president, and growing worries among Democrats that inflation will cost the party control of Congress in the 2022 midterm elections.

Biden has blamed the inflation spike on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Biden last visited Seattle in November 2019 while campaigning in the Democratic presidential primaries. He attended a fundraiser at the home of Amazon executive David Zapolsky.