President Joe Biden’s chances of reelection are being called into question as polls show that even a majority of Democratic primary voters do not want him to run again. Concerns about his age, acuity, and underwater approval ratings have raised doubts about his electability. Despite these concerns, no contender within the Democratic mainstream has emerged to challenge him, leading Democratic operatives to fear a potential electoral disaster. Progressive operative Faiz Shakir, who ran Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign, acknowledges Biden’s weaknesses but still believes he could beat former President Donald Trump in a rematch.
Interviews with Democratic operatives and voters reveal that anxiety about Biden’s candidacy is largely rooted in his status as an octogenarian and the occasional falls and verbal flubs that accompany it. Some worry that swing voters will be hesitant to vote for an 80-something who often sounds like an 80-something. The fear is that the optics of having two old presidents in a row will push voters towards a younger candidate. However, Biden and his team have tried to neutralize these concerns by making light of the topic and accusing the press of focusing too much on his age compared to Trump’s.
Despite these concerns, it is unlikely that Biden will face a significant challenge for the Democratic nomination. The Democratic National Committee has not scheduled any primary debates, and interest groups that could potentially support a challenger are instead aligning themselves with Biden. Biden’s campaign and allies point to the successful performance of Democrats in the 2022 midterm elections as evidence of his electability. They argue that his underwhelming polling with Democrats is typical for an incumbent at this stage of his presidency and dismiss it as off-year anxieties.
Biden’s campaign plans to highlight his economic accomplishments to remind voters of the stakes in the upcoming election. They will focus on the investments made possible by recent legislation, emphasizing how these actions are tackling climate change while revitalizing domestic manufacturing. Biden will deliver a speech in Chicago on “Bidenomics,” highlighting his economic philosophy, which contrasts with the GOP’s trickle-down economics.
To showcase Democratic institutional unity and contrast it with Republican infighting, the campaign is highlighting endorsements from leading abortion rights groups, environmental groups, and organized labor unions. The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the country, endorsed Biden early in the race, marking the earliest endorsement in the organization’s history.
Despite some concerns and anxieties about Biden’s candidacy, credible challenges have yet to emerge, and Democratic-aligned groups remain largely supportive. As of now, it appears that Biden will coast towards the nomination with limited opposition. Democratic strategist Lis Smith notes that she hasn’t heard any credible plans to run against Biden, further reinforcing the idea that he is likely to secure the nomination.
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