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Jill Biden is joining White House efforts to woo Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, bringing him on her plane for her trip to West Virginia on Thursday to hang out with her and actress Jennifer Garner.
Manchin, a moderate senator, is a key vote for Democrats in the 50-50 Senate. President Joe Biden will need his support on his two massive legislative packages - his $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan - with its focus on infrastructure - and his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan with its focus on social programs.
The senator will join Dr. Biden and Garner on Thursday when they visit a vaccination center and deliver remarks at Capital High School in Charleston, W.Va.
Manchin will fly from Washington D.C. to his home state with Biden, the first lady's office announced on Wednesday.
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The trio also was originally scheduled to visit Arnoldsburg Elementary School in Clay County but that portion of the trip was canceled because of COVID-19 quarantine in the school district.
Garner grew up in Charleston and she has previously testified before Congress in support of education programs for preschoolers in poverty.
The actress was originally scheduled to travel with Dr. Biden to Alabama last month, to promote the administration's COVID relief efforts for early childhood education, but that trip was scrapped because of severe weather.
Biden and Garner have also worked together as board members on the Save the Children charity organization.
Garner campaigned for Joe Biden in last year's election, hosting an event on Instagram with Jill Biden.
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President Biden is also wooing moderate Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. He hosted both Sinema and Manchin at the White House for separate meetings this week.
Manchin told reporters his hour-long conversation with the president was 'encompassing.'
'We talked about everything, we really did. It was a great conversation,' he said.
Given the evenly split Senate, Biden can't afford to lose a single Democratic vote on his massive spending packages. By meeting with Manchin and Sinema, he's giving them a voice and a chance to influence what ends up in the final legislative package.
The trip with the first lady sweetens the deal for Manchin. The trip will likely receive heavy media coverage in the state.
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