Jill Biden rejects calls for president to step aside at rally near Georgia’s largest military base

First lady Jill Biden speaks to supporters in Columbus on Monday as part of a three-stop swing in battleground states to launch Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)

First lady Jill Biden rallied Democrats in a west Georgia community that’s home to one of the country’s largest military bases Monday as the Biden-Harris campaign works to tamp down concerns after President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance in Atlanta more than a week ago.

The first lady, who is one of the president’s fiercest surrogates, hit the campaign trail with a three-stop swing through battleground states as the president ramped up his efforts to firmly reject calls for him to bow out of the race.

The trio of events was part of the campaign’s launch of Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris. Fort Moore, formerly Fort Benning, is near Columbus.