By Jarrett Renshaw and Andrea Shalal

PHILADELPHIA/WILMINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will make a rare appearance together on the campaign trail in Philadelphia on Friday as they seek to boost Pennsylvania Democrats in the closing stretch ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm election.

Their visit, Biden’s 19th to the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania since taking office last year, comes with less than two weeks to go before Election Day. Polls suggest Democrats could lose control of both houses of Congress, with voter discontent over high inflation spoiling momentum Democrats had hoped to win from the fight over abortion rights.

Biden is set to return to Pennsylvania again next week with former President Barack Obama, underscoring the urgency Democrats feel to win the race to replace retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey. Democratic hopeful John Fetterman’s lead in the polls against Republican candidate Mehmet Oz, backed by former President Donald Trump, has evaporated in recent weeks.

“I absolutely do believe that John Fetterman will win this election,” Harris told reporters ahead of a speech in Philadelphia.

Allies tried to do damage control this week after Fetterman’s shaky debate performance against Oz on Tuesday that showed the struggle the Democrat faces in recovering from a May stroke.

Biden on Friday night is expected to mention the brutal attack on the husband of U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi that occurred earlier in the day in San Francisco. Last month, he gave an impassioned speech in Philadelphia about extremism.

Biden is also expected to draw a sharp contrast with his economic plans and those of the so-called “MAGA Republicans” – referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan – on issues ranging from prescription drug costs to Social Security.

Biden and Harris will speak at the Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s annual Independence Dinner, a major state party event expected to raise more than $1 million.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro as well as U.S. congressman Matt Cartwright, who is facing a tough contest in a House of Representatives district that includes Biden’s hometown of Scranton, will be in attendance, a Democratic official said.

Trump, Biden’s 2020 election opponent potential 2024 adversary, is expected to campaign in Pennsylvania next weekend as well.