Embrace or avoid? Midterms dilemma for Democrats as Biden’s ratings plunge

For Democrats in tight re-election races, being photographed with a president whose approval rating hovers at 40% is a risk

With a handshake and brief embrace, congresswoman Abigail Spanberger welcomed Joe Biden to her Virginia district last Thursday. The event was an opportunity to highlight the administration's plans to lower the cost of prescription drugs, but it also provided an opportunity for the US president to promote the members of his party ahead of the midterm elections in November.

In every chapter in her career, in every chapter, she's always been about one thing: service," the president said of Spanberger, a Democrat whose competitive re-election race is on the front line of the battle for control of the House.