The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Biden cancels Conn. fundraiser.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has canceled a planned appearance in Hartford next week.
Biden notified Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday that because of the current concerns related to COVID-19 coronavirus, he would not travel to Connecticut for the planned fundraiser and public rally scheduled for March 19, according to a source close to the governor.
The Biden campaign did not offer immediate plans to reschedule. Details for the private lunchtime event and a public rally had not yet been settled.
Biden won big in four primaries Tuesday night, extending his lead against U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders as the clear frontrunner in the Democratic primary for president.
Both Biden and Sanders have recently canceled several public gatherings due to widespread concerns about coronavirus. The World Health Organization declared it as a global pandemic Tuesday and schools, nursing homes and sporting events have all been affected.
Lamont, who endorsed Biden last July, tightened restrictions on public gatherings Thursday and urged that no gatherings exceed 100 people.
Biden has been gaining momentum nationwide as 11 former presidential candidates have endorsed him, including former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
Lamont was among the first political leaders first endorse Biden and held a fundraiser for the former Delaware senator at his Greenwich home in mid-October that raised more than $450,000 — one of the most successful fundraisers for the Biden campaign.
In remarks delivered Thursday afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden slammed President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. On Wednesday he formed a public health advisory committee for his campaign.
He has released a plan to combat the virus and prepare for future global health threats on his campaign website. Sanders delivered similar remarks Thursday.