President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be highlighting their healthcare plan on Tuesday in North Carolina, a crucial state that Democrats are aiming to win after losing to Donald Trump in the last two presidential races.

After fourteen years since President Barack Obama enacted the Affordable Care Act, the current White House views healthcare as a favorable topic in the ongoing campaign, where Biden has occasionally been faced with criticism regarding immigration and the economy. The Republican party has contested Biden’s main objectives in reducing healthcare expenses and has taken advantage of situations to limit abortion rights following the U.S Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Anita Dunn, a senior adviser, stated that the current divide on the topic of health care is evident through the split screen. While President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Democrats aim to increase accessibility and affordability of health care while protecting reproductive rights, Republicans seek to diminish health care and increase costs, potentially further endangering reproductive freedoms.

Joe Biden’s last destination in his journey to key states is North Carolina, following his State of the Union address earlier this month. This sparked a hectic travel itinerary for the Democratic president as he campaigns for a second term, highly likely against President Trump, the presumed Republican candidate.

North Carolina’s governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, successfully utilized the $1.8 billion provided by the American Rescue Plan, a pandemic relief initiative supported by President Biden, to encourage Republican legislators to support his proposal for expanding Medicaid coverage for low-income individuals. As a result, it is estimated that over 600,000 people in the state will now have access to this health care program.

Biden and Harris’ visit coincides with the U.S. Supreme Court hearing oral arguments on a mifepristone case that could potentially limit access to the widely used abortion pill. A ruling in this case could have significant impact on access to abortion.

The White House has made efforts to increase access to mifepristone as a means of safeguarding women’s right to terminate their pregnancies.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary stated, ” We will continue to oppose these unprecedented assaults on women’s rights to make their own choices regarding their health.”

Following their discussion on healthcare in Raleigh, Biden and Harris will be making an appearance at a rally for their campaign. They currently have a notable financial advantage over Trump, with $155 million available at the end of the first quarter. In contrast, Trump had only $37 million on hand.

Biden’s approval ratings on health care are among his highest on a range of issues, but he remains underwater there too. According to a February poll from The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 42% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of health care while 55% disapprove.

The health policy research firm, KFF, conducted a survey in November which revealed that 59% of Americans have faith in the Democratic Party to effectively tackle the issue of affordable health care. In contrast, only 39% expressed trust in the Republican Party. This trend was reflected in other areas such as access to mental health services, high prescription drug costs, and the future of programs like the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid.

“I am someone who believes that effective policies not only benefit individuals but also have positive political implications. When policies are in place that genuinely assist and serve communities, it ultimately leads to the creation of devoted supporters,” stated Democrat Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland.

According to Moore, he understands the sentiment of voters who feel that Biden has not had a major influence on topics such as healthcare. However, he highlighted the administration’s achievements in areas such as reducing prescription medication costs and limiting the expense of insulin.

“He expressed that everything occurs for a reason and it’s due to the presence of leaders who are giving it importance.”

Despite running for office since 2016 with a pledge to abolish the Affordable Care Act and implement a different system, Trump has not provided specific plans for health care policies.

In a November post on his Truth Social website, the individual expressed concern about the rising cost of Obamacare and its perceived inadequacy as a healthcare option. They stated that they were actively seeking alternative solutions.

Healthcare has not been a main point of focus in Trump’s 2024 campaign, as he is instead directing attention towards immigration, inflation, and conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

Recent polls indicate a close competition between Biden and Trump in the current election. Democrats aim to establish an additional route towards winning in North Carolina.

Despite the fact that Democrats have not been successful in securing a U.S. Senate seat or winning a presidential election in North Carolina since 2008, Trump narrowly defeated Biden by a margin of 1.3 percentage points in 2020. The White House has consistently emphasized the allocation of federal funds towards transportation, rural broadband, and other projects, while also sending high-ranking administration officials to the state.

The Democrats are seeking to take advantage of what they see as flaws in the Republican contenders for statewide positions. This includes Mark Robinson and Michele Morrow, the party’s picks for governor and state schools superintendent, who have a track record of making provocative statements.

In a recent interview, Democratic Senator Jay Chaudhuri of Raleigh expressed concern about the Republican slate for the upcoming statewide election. He believes that the prevalence of far-right MAGA supporters within the party will harm their chances of winning. As the election approaches, Chaudhuri believes that independent voters will take notice of the extreme views held by the entire Republican ticket.

The Democratic party hopes that independent voters, who make up the majority in the state, will become less supportive of Trump due to concerns that his presidency, along with the election of Robinson and Morrow, could dissuade businesses from moving to a state currently experiencing a prosperous economy.

“It’s clear that Republicans have nominated a slew of candidates that want to throw us right back into the culture wars,” said Cooper, the Democratic governor, last week. “And Donald Trump is right on top of that, driving the train on this.”

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This report includes contributions from Associated Press journalists Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, Jill Colvin in New York, and Darlene Superville, Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, and Matt Brown in Washington.