Analysis | Chapman looks at Biden along with other possible Democratic presidential candidates for upcoming 2024 election

While President Joe Biden is running for reelection next year, some Democrats may not want to mark his name on the ballot. Photo collage by RENEE ELEFANTE, Editor-in-Chief

President Joe Biden is running for his second term in the 2024 presidential election. Meanwhile, citizens are wondering: if it’s not Biden on the ballot, who will it be?

Throughout Biden’s presidency, his approval rates have only been going down. Democrats aren’t sure if they want to keep him — but there doesn’t seem to be another popular option among the party who has voiced a desire to run. And, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running as an Independent, it’s looking like Biden could lose even more votes. 

“Most of the people in (Biden’s) party wish (he) wasn’t running,” said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley at a Chapman speaker event last month. “So this is a conundrum that Biden’s going to have to figure his way out.” 

According to FiveThirtyEight’s polls tracking Biden’s approval throughout his presidency, his approval rate has been sinking. The first polling numbers, which came in just days after his being sworn in January 2021, showed a 53.1% approval for Biden. Now, he has a 55% disapproval and 38.7% approval rate.

“Biden’s health is obviously a concern,” said Brinkley. “I don’t think it’s his age; there’s been a deterioration. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t be able to do it at 80.”  

American citizens and other Democrats have been quick to point out the president’s age as an obstacle to keep in mind during his reelection campaign. 

But, his annual physical from the White House showed that he remains “healthy” and “vigorous.”  

Biden would become the oldest president to presume presidency if he were sworn in for a second term at age 82, only beating out his own record of entering office at age 78. 

“(Biden) thinks, ‘If I lose, it’s the end of American democracy. I’d better stay in. I may not be a perfect vessel, but I represent the institutions of democracy.’ You know, you start convincing yourself that,” said Brinkley. 

Brinkley went on to state that Biden’s issue may have been that he created an atmosphere of “yes-people” around him.

“I don’t think there’s anybody that’s willing to suggest (to Biden), ‘You really need to get out of this right now, for the good of the party, the good of the country,’” Brinkley continued.

Sophomore strategic and corporate communication major Yness Riedel, who is on the board of Chapman Democrats, said that the possible Democratic candidates are “pretty average.” 

“Most of the candidates are running on the same policies. However the whole ‘Vote Blue No Matter Who’ has sort of died off ever since Israel and Palestine,” Riedel told The Panther.

Riedel also commented on Biden, who she said she personally is not a fan of. 

“Many Democrats that fall on the liberal, far-left spectrum are not happy with how the Democrats are handling Israel and Palestine. People are especially not happy with Joe Biden,” she continued. 

Whether or not Biden is the democratic candidate come next November, he does need to watch out for Kennedy as an independent — who might be his biggest threat.

“I think you do have to keep an eye on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running Independent, not that he’s going to win, but he very easily can get 5% about everywhere,” Brinkley said. “He could flip a state and may even get up to 10% in a national election.” 

Brinkley continued by saying that this “no-party label” is something to watch closely this election, as many candidates running outside of the two main parties could take many votes away from Biden. 

“I thought Biden might not run. I know people like (Gov.) Gavin Newsom or others were hungry to get in the game — but, not happening,” Brinkley said. “But by March, things could change.” 

According to Ballotpedia, there are two other Democrat candidates who have announced their intention to run in 2024. 

Dean Phillips, a Minnesota representative, is focusing on four main issues for his campaign: decreasing living costs, improving community safety, investing in the youth and making politics less divided. 

The other candidate, author Marianne Williamson, previously ran in the 2020 election before ending her campaign early on in the year. She has centered her campaign on economic troubles, universal healthcare, affordable education, paid parental leave and a rise in minimum wage, according to Ballotpedia.

Biden, however, is focusing his second term campaign on child and elder healthcare, protecting Social Security and Medicare, implementing a minimum tax for billionaires, protecting voting and abortion rights as well as banning assault weapons.