The next U.S. election is looming, and former president Donald Trump already announced his plan to run before being indicted earlier this month. And now President Joe Biden has announced his plan to run for re-election in the 2024 race.
After winning the election in 2020—to which Trump refused to concede for some time—Biden said, “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify; who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States.” But can he do it again?
Is Biden running for President in 2024?
Biden has now announced that he will, indeed, run for president in 2024 via a video message posted to his official social media channels. In the announcement video, Biden says:
“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we are in a battle for the soul of America. And we still are. The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer. I know what I want the answer to be and I think you do, too. This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election.”
Along with Biden’s announcement, Vice President Kamala Harris has said that she intends to run alongside him as she did in 2020.
Biden previously indicated that he would run for President again during the 2024 race. In an interview with Today on April 10, Biden said, “I plan on running, but we’re not prepared to announce it yet. I plan on at least three or four more Easter egg rolls. Maybe five. Maybe six, what the hell.”
According to Sky News, First Lady Jill Biden had a big part in Biden’s decision to run once again and is actively encouraging her husband to do so. Mrs. Biden seemingly confirmed his intentions to run again in February, saying, “How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it? He says he’s not done. He’s not finished what he’s started. And that’s what’s important.”
In 2020, at the age of 78, Biden became the oldest person elected as President of the United States, and, if he succeeds in getting re-elected, he will be 86 by the end of his second term. This has been of some concern for those on both sides of the political spectrum who say that Biden is too old to be running the country. And apparently, it’s not just voters who are concerned. Jonathan Martin, a reporter at Politico, wrote that when speaking to Democrats, though many wanted a new nominee, they were reluctant to call for one. Only two, Rep. Dean Phillips and Rep. Angie Craig, were bold enough to speak on the matter.
Philips told Martin, “Nobody wants to be the one to do something that would undermine the chances of a Democratic victory in 2024. Yet in quiet rooms the conversation is just the opposite — we could be at a higher risk if this path is cleared.”
Craig said that she would “respect” Biden’s choice to run again if he did and that she would support him.
Many Republicans have used Biden’s age and incidents that have occurred since he took office to attack him and question his fitness—including when he fell down the stairs of Air Force One, stared blankly into space during an interview, or when he got confused on stage. There are also concerns about Biden taking trips, including the upcoming coronation of King Charles III, which he will skip.
While some believe Biden’s age is a “legitimate” worry, Trump is only four years younger and was literally encouraging people to attack a government building and officials. Biden’s team has also come to his defense, with one of them saying, “It’s part of who he is—as much a part as his record of legislative accomplishments in the last two years, as much a part as his empathy and his connection with people.”
Under the Biden presidency, unemployment has fallen, a gun safety bill was signed, and he has done a fair amount for U.S. healthcare, including signing orders for a COVID-19 relief fund.
Who is favored to win the 2024 presidential election?
According to Political Pulse, the difference in polls for the two head candidates, President Biden and former President Trump, are slim. A poll update from April 22 showed Trump slightly ahead of Biden at 43%, with Biden at 42%. Race to the White House, which displays different polling, also suggests that the gap is slim. However, their poll map (which averages all the different polls) shows that at the moment, Biden is in the lead. But where there is no polling data, it seems that in states with predictable voting patterns, Republicans are pulling ahead. This differs from the results of a Harvard University study last year, which found that over 60% of registered voters would back neither party and would instead vote independent.
Trump announced his run in November while in Palm Beach, Florida. He said, “In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States … America’s golden age is just ahead.”
And yes, Trump can still run for President again, even if he’s found guilty of committing a felony—or felonies. He just might become the primary candidate for the Republican party in the 2024 election as percentages show him far above his competitors over the course of several months. As someone from the U.K., it has been a blessing not to have to see Trump on my TV every evening during the news. It has also been a relief that he couldn’t have influence over our government, as he and our former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, shared some very nasty views, like their thoughts on Muslims (our PM said that Muslim women “looked like letterboxes”).
There are still many months ahead in the run-up to the 2024 election, and many more possible candidates who could be vying for President.
(featured image: Jacquelyn Martin—Pool, Getty Images)
