Presidential elections in the United States: this is why Joe Biden postponed his announcement of the 2024 elections

Joe Biden has hinted over the past six months that he intends to run for re-election to the US presidency in 2024. And over the Easter weekend, he said he was waiting for the right opportunity. Tuesday can be such an opportunity. Ahead of the 2020 elections, he announced his candidacy on April 25.

But opinion polls do not speak in favor of Biden. Just over 42 percent think he’s doing a good job as boss, according to the latest FivethirtyEight poll. It’s not a worrying number. Similar measurements with some of the former presidents point in the same direction.

But the negative attitude towards his re-election is the biggest concern. 72% of those surveyed believe that one term is enough. Skepticism among Democratic voters themselves also matters. And 52% would prefer the party to choose another presidential candidate.

There is no serious competitor

On the other hand, there is also not much enthusiasm among Republicans about Donald Trump – who has announced his candidacy – or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced his intentions and is currently on an international tour that includes Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Israel. But Republicans are expected to be more united around the ultimately nominated candidate than Democrats are supposed to be around Joe Biden. Thus participation can be crucial.

But there is still no serious challenger to Joe Biden within the Democrats. And there are as many negatives as positives if he decides to run for president again.

negative

• Age is the biggest drawback. Age 80, 82 if sworn in for another term and 86 when the second term ends.

• Appearance is that of an older man, in both speech and movement patterns.

• The Ukraine scandal, which led the recent election campaign to initiate the impeachment trial of Donald Trump, but at the same time exploded unfavorably around Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden.

• He finds it difficult to implement his policies with the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.

• Republicans raise a series of negative issues for Biden from previous campaigns.

On the plus side, there are those who speak for Biden.

positivity

• He has a very long experience as a member of the Senate, Vice President and President.

• Advance issues – such as health care reform – that are important to the majority of Americans.

• He has a solid administration with ministers who support him and keep him together.

• Has a kind and courteous personal appearance.

• He has the strong support of former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, but he also enjoys the admiration of Republican George W. Bush.

Presidential mode can be used

Rumors that Joe Biden is making plans for a new campaign are fueled by his spending last weekend at the president’s Camp David retreat where he gathered close advisers who worked on the previous campaign. Julie Chávez Rodriguez works in the White House and has recently taken on a number of new assignments and is expected to be appointed campaign manager. A headquarters is planned in Biden’s home state of Pennsylvania and also a headquarters in his home state of Delaware, where he campaigned last.

Joe Biden can wait to announce his candidacy and take advantage of the fact that he is president and thus gets a lot of attention. But the election campaign should be largely separate from the presidency, and here the most important thing is to raise money for the campaign coffers. It involves amounts in the billions and this process must begin as quickly as possible.

Democrats have already decided that the party convention – where the presidential nominee is formally nominated – will be held in Chicago, Illinois in the summer of 2024. The party has also decided that the primary elections will begin in South Carolina, where Biden is strong, rather than traditionally in Iowa and New Hampshire where the president has not fared. Well into 2020. Republicans are sticking to the old platform and holding their convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The candidates, who internally want to challenge Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, still have time. But with Biden’s expected announcement, the space is shrinking exponentially.

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Britt Marie Mattson is a US expert at Göteborgs-Posten. She has covered American politics for nearly five decades and interviewed many of the most powerful people in the world.