With President Joe Biden’s age and mental acuity questioned often, there has been some speculation surrounding potential Democratic candidates who could seek the 2024 nomination to challenge Biden’s candidacy.
A Quinnipiac University poll showed that 63 percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters say they would be willing to consider another Democratic candidate depending on the events leading up to the primary.
Both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris are notable figures in the Democratic Party and have been mentioned as potential candidates for the 2024 presidential nomination. As it stands now, these are speculations and the final decision will be made by the Democratic Party.
Still, many prominent figures within the Democratic Party and other Democrats in Congress have already endorsed Joe Biden for the nomination, despite growing concerns about whether he is fit to serve another term.
The 81-year-old president is continuing to try to convince voters to give him another shot during his reelection campaign. His White House staff and other Democrats continue to rush to his defense. “I talk to President Biden regularly. Usually several times in a week. His mental acuity is great, it’s fine, it’s as good as it’s been over the years,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, as reported by USA TODAY.
“All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” the five-term New York senator.
What could become more troubling for Biden is that voters overwhelmingly believe he is too old to serve another four years in the Oval Office. But they also feel the same way about former President Donald Trump, whom he will likely face in the general election.
In fact, a new ABC News/Ipsos poll last week revealed that 86 percent of Americans believe Biden is too old to serve another term, while the same survey found 59 percent believe both Biden and Trump, who is 77, are too old for a second term.
Meanwhile, Newsom has hinted that he could launch a presidential bid after participating in a televised debate last year with then-GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. In 2023, The Guardian reported that there’s growing evidence that Newsom is running something similar to a shadow campaign to President Biden and ready to step up if, or when, the incumbent is out of the running.
However, Newsom has attempted to negate rumors he is seeking the presidency in 2024, saying he fully supports Biden during interviews and on the debate stage with DeSantis.
And Harris, the current vice president, has also been seen as a potential Democratic candidate. The 59-year-old has not formally announced that she will be running for president in 2024 but said she is “ready to serve” if necessary, The Telegraph reported. “I am ready to serve. There’s no question about that,” Harris told The Wall Street Journal in an interview.
Recently, some co-hosts from “The View” engaged in conversation about whether Harris or Newsom would make a better Democratic presidential nominee after Special Counsel Robert Hur’s tough report on President Biden.
In a heated exchange last Friday, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin contended that Hur’s report and Biden’s subsequent fiery press conference revealed the need for Democrats to consider an alternative nominee. Griffin suggested that Harris could be a suitable candidate, especially in light of Hur pointing to memory lapses by Biden, the oldest U.S. president.
“Why not the vice president? Why wouldn’t Democrats put up the vice president?” Griffin said.
However, co-host Sunny Hostin expressed skepticism, arguing that Harris might face challenges during a potential election as a biracial woman. “Because this country is not ready for a Black female president. We couldn’t even elect one of the most qualified White women in this country as president,” she said, referencing Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential bid, according to the news outlet.
Meanwhile, both Trump and Biden have shown signs of cognitive decline during speeches and rallies. No prominent Democrats have publicly called for Biden to step aside so far, while many in the GOP faction continue to endorse Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
Biden is scheduled for his annual physical examination soon, but it won’t include a cognitive test. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed reporters on Monday that Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, has deemed a mental acuity exam unnecessary. Jean-Pierre emphasized that Dr. O’Connor believes Biden consistently demonstrates his cognitive ability “every day in how he operates and how he thinks,” as reported by Fox News.
