Biden calls Belvidere, Illinois, "the great comeback story' during State of the Union
President Joe Biden called Belvidere, Illinois, the Boone County seat of just more than 25,000 residents, a "great comeback story" during his State of the Union address Thursday night.
The president highlighted Belvidere as he discussed the landmark deal reached by the United Auto Workers and Stellantis back in November that not only reopens the idled Belvidere Assembly Plant but expands on it.
All told, the $19 billion contract sets aside nearly $5 billion for the Belvidere plant and looks to add 2,500 jobs — hiring 1,200 employees to build pickup trucks and another 1,300 more workers for an electric vehicle battery factory.
"Folks at Belvidere, I say instead of your town being left behind, your community is moving forward again," Biden said during his address.
In attendance was UAW Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen at the bequest of U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville. Frantzen and UAW President Shawn Fain joined Biden on the stage in Belvidere in November to celebrate the reopening of the Stellantis plant.
@POTUS said it himself tonight: The great comeback story is Belvidere, Illinois.
I could not be prouder that Matt Frantzen, President of @UAW Local 1268 in Belvidere, was at the speech with me tonight to hear the President Biden talk about his hometown. pic.twitter.com/J8Kgbu6JEF— Congressman Bill Foster (@RepBillFoster) March 8, 2024
Biden, who carried Illinois by more than 15 points over former President Donald Trump in 2020, has solid backing in the state ahead this year's election. Democrats have won every presidential election in the state dating back to President George H.W. Bush in 1988.
More: Biden to Belvidere UAW: 'You changed the face of the country'
Gov. JB Pritzker, along with U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, applauded the president's speech, the governor calling Biden's accomplishments in his first term "nothing short of remarkable." Meanwhile, the Illinois Republican Party said Biden's agenda has led to inflated food prices and a migrant crisis stretching out state and city of Chicago resources.
The presumptive Democratic nominee, Biden is expected to be selected as the party's candidate during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August. At stake in Illinois are 147 Democratic delegates that could move Biden plus the 1,968 delegate-threshold to secure the nomination if he doesn't do so next week.
Illinois voters head to the polls on March 19 for the primary election.
Contact Patrick M. Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: 'Comeback city,' Biden applauds Belvidere during SOTU
