Last updated on May 31st, 2023 at 02:34 am
The Democratic Party is gearing up for the 2024 United States presidential election by organizing presidential primaries and caucuses to select delegates for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. These elections will be held between February and June of 2024, in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, and Democrats Abroad.
Incumbent President Joe Biden has expressed his intent to run for re-election since 2021, and he is running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite primary campaigns by lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and author Marianne Williamson, Biden maintains a strong lead in the polls.
Biden’s age and low approval ratings during the first two years of his presidency had led to speculation that he might not seek re-election, and some prominent Democrats had publicly urged him not to run. There were also rumors that he might face a primary challenge from a member of the Democratic Party’s progressive faction. These rumors were validated when Marianne Williamson declared a primary challenge in March 2023. However, Biden’s approval rating slowly recovered by the end of 2022, and after Democrats outperformed expectations in the 2022 midterm elections, many believed that his chances of winning his party’s nomination had increased.
The 2024 presidential primaries and caucuses will be a critical moment for the Democratic Party, as they determine who will represent the party in the upcoming election. The country will be watching closely as the candidates vie for the nomination, and ultimately, the presidency.
Democratic Party Candidates
The 2024 presidential election bid is already in full swing with an increasing number of potential candidates vying to become America’s next president. As of now, we are taking a look at the potential candidates, including the incumbent Joe Biden, as well as other Democrats who are challenging him for the upcoming election.
Joe Biden
Less than two months after his 2021 inauguration, President Joe Biden declared his intention to seek re-election in 2024, with Vice President Kamala Harris again joining him as his running mate. He officially launched his re-election campaign in April 2023, stating in a three-minute announcement video that “The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom; more rights or fewer.” He emphasized his belief in American values, including honesty, respect, and treating everyone with dignity, and noted that he is running because he knows America and believes in the country’s people.
Biden has a long history as a career Democrat, having served as a U.S. Senator from 1973 until his promotion to vice president in 2009. He is known for speaking his mind on issues he supports, including his support of same-sex marriage before the Obama administration had a chance to sign off on it.
After winning a crowded field of Democratic candidates in the 2020 presidential primaries, he faced incumbent President Donald Trump and won both the popular vote and the electoral college.
While President Biden is a clear front-runner in the 2024 election, some members of his party have expressed concern about his lackluster approval ratings over issues surrounding the economy and his age. However, after the 2022 midterms in which Democratic candidates over-performed and retained control of the Senate while also picking up new governor seats, Biden received more credit for his party leadership. Nonetheless, a second term in the White House is far from guaranteed.
Marianne Williamson
Marianne Williamson, a former pastor and self-help author of 14 books who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has declared her candidacy for the 2024 Democratic primary, challenging incumbent President Joe Biden. Williamson’s campaign is focused on addressing economic injustice and reversing corporate control of the country, which she claims Biden is not interested in. Williamson’s economic agenda includes fundamental economic reform, ending injustice, and making an economic U-turn in the country, as well as supporting universal healthcare, free college, and federally legalizing marijuana.
In an interview, Williamson criticizes the undemocratic nature of the Democratic Party establishment and shares her criticisms of the Biden administration. She believes that institutions need to regain the trust of ordinary Americans. Williamson’s campaign may appeal to voters who feel disillusioned with the current political system and are seeking a more progressive agenda.
Williamson’s candidacy adds to a growing number of challengers to President Biden in the 2024 Democratic primary, and her progressive platform may appeal to voters looking for a more radical change. However, it remains to be seen whether she can gain enough support to seriously challenge Biden’s frontrunner status in the primary election.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of the famous Kennedy political family and an activist against vaccines, has announced his candidacy for the presidency as a Democrat. On April 5, Kennedy filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, seeking to challenge the incumbent President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. While his candidacy is a long shot, Kennedy’s presidential campaign was officially launched on April 19, 2023.
Kennedy, a bestselling author, and environmental lawyer, is a nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of his assassinated brother Robert F. Kennedy. His activism against vaccines has become more prominent since the COVID-19 pandemic, and his anti-vaccine charity’s revenues doubled to $6.8 million during the pandemic, according to charity regulators.
In 2021, Kennedy published a book called “The Real Anthony Fauci,” in which he accused the top U.S. infectious disease doctor of assisting in “a historic coup d’etat against Western democracy” and promoted unproven COVID-19 treatments like ivermectin and the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine.
These RFK Jr. Polls Are Pretty Alarming for Joe Biden
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gained significant support in the polls for his Democratic primary challenge to unseat President Joe Biden. A new poll conducted by Emerson College shows that RFK Jr. now has over 20% support, up from 14% in an earlier poll. This trend is considered “alarming” for the Biden campaign. Even if 21% ends up being RFK Jr.’s high-water mark, it highlights a fundamental problem with Biden’s re-election campaign. Biden is an out-of-touch politician who has been in Washington for decades and is not an exciting candidate.
Democrats have never been excited for Joe Biden, and recent polls show that 63% of Americans, including 51% of Democrats, do not believe that he should run for a second term due to his age. Apart from this, the DNC will likely support him and prevent any significant challenge from RFK Jr. or any other candidate. Overall, RFK Jr.’s challenge highlights the lack of excitement and enthusiasm for Joe Biden now it’s time for Democratic Party to find a new inspiring candidate.
What Polls Says
The drop in Biden’s approval rating this month is primarily due to independent voters, whose approval rating of the president has decreased from 37% in February to 30% this month, according to Spencer Kimball, Executive Director of Emerson College Polling.
When the survey participants were presented with announced candidates such as Biden, Marianne Williamson, and Robert Kennedy Jr., Biden’s support increased to 70%, Kennedy Jr. received 21% support, and Williamson received 8% support.
In short, the 2024 presidential election is already shaping up to be an exciting and competitive race with multiple potential candidates vying for the presidency. Despite facing some opposition from within his party, incumbent Joe Biden appears to be the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. even so, the upcoming election is sure to be a challenging one, especially given Biden’s age and some Americans’ doubts about his ability to serve a second term. As the election draws closer, it will be fascinating to see how the candidates continue to evolve, what new challengers may emerge, and ultimately who will be elected to lead the country in the next four years.