Two members of Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign have tested positive for coronavirus, leading his running mate, Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris, to halt travel until Sunday, the campaign announced Thursday.
The Biden campaign statement says the two staffers are a flight crew member and Harris’ communications director. The two staffers are the first coronavirus cases Biden’s campaign has confirmed among its staff. Both Biden and Harris have tested negative for the disease since learning of the infections, according to Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon.
NEW: Two members of Sen. Harris’s traveling party, a non-staff flight crew member and comms director Liz Allen, tested positive for Covid-19 last night.
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) October 15, 2020
The report comes just hours before the Biden and President Donald Trump were originally scheduled to participate in the second presidential debate Thursday, but it was ultimately canceled after Trump tested positive for COVID-19 last week. (RELATED: Twitter Locks Kayleigh McEnany’s Personal Account, Trump Campaign Says)
Biden and Trump now have competing townhalls scheduled for Thursday evening instead, though the Oct. 22 debate is still expected to occur.
The Biden campaign says Harris will quarantine in her home until Sunday, suspending campaign activity. Harris has been participating virtually in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett throughout this week.
Committee Leader and Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham announced the committee will vote on Barrett’s confirmation Oct. 22. If confirmed in committee, she would then be placed up for a floor vote in the Senate.