It’s almost unbelievable, but, in less than one year, the 2024 Presidential election will be over. Votes will be tallied across the United States and we will have a president-elect. However, this upcoming election feels different. After the 2020 election, many Americans are simply exhausted at the thought of the inevitable rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Biden ran for president with the promise of “lowering the temperature” and healing the partisan divide, but it feels like nothing has changed. For many, this upcoming election will reopen old wounds, thrusting voters back into a world of endless political discourse and fierce partisanship.
Biden faces the daunting task of holding together the Democratic base that brought him a victory in 2020. Based on recent polling, pulling it off again in 2024 is going to be tough. Many hypothetical polls show Trump leading President Biden in key swing states. In 2020, the Biden campaign succeeded in garnering support from many different groups across the country — his diverse coalition ultimately pushed him over the finish line and into the White House. However, over the past two years, his core base has shown signs of cracking. In particular, polls show that his support from younger voters, African Americans and Hispanic Americans have been slipping. This is bad news for Biden and something that he needs to turn around within the next year.
Public opinion on Biden has soured over the past two years, for various reasons both justified and not. Many have criticized Biden for not accomplishing enough during his first term — he has struggled to bring lofty campaign promises, such as student debt relief and gun reform, to fruition. Although he has made some progress on these issues, voters are not satisfied with his progress, believing that it is not enough. Unfortunately, these shortcomings have overshadowed his other achievements, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan. Voters often don’t understand how hard it is for a president to put their agenda into action, especially with opposing parties in control of the House and Senate. Honestly, I think it is impressive what Biden has been able to achieve under the circumstances.
Biden’s age has also become a major issue of contention, with many voters concerned about his ability to lead the country effectively at his advanced age. In a recent poll by the Associated Press, a whopping 77 percent of respondents said that Biden was too old to serve a second term, including 69 percent of Democrats. Biden recently celebrated his 81st birthday on Nov. 20, and he holds the record of the oldest president in American history. Biden’s age has become a major point of attack for Republicans, even though his primary opponent Trump is only four years younger. While I personally do not have an issue with Biden’s age, I understand the concerns about his fitness to serve. He is definitely not getting any younger.
This issue goes beyond Biden and Trump and extends to American politics as a whole. American politicians are notoriously old — many members have served for decades with only death ending their tenure. The House of Representatives has an average age of 58, with 151 out of 439 representatives being exactly or over the age of 65. The Senate is worse, with an average age of 64, and 54 out of 100 senators over the age of 65. This is frustrating, especially for younger Americans, who increasingly feel that their representatives are out of touch and don’t understand their wants and needs. Voters want younger and more exciting candidates, with new perspectives and ideas to tackle the issues that face our nation. Although it’s too late to make a change this election cycle, in the coming years, I believe a new generation of candidates will emerge.
It only makes sense that with the current state of American politics, people have become disillusioned with the two-party system. A sizable portion of the electorate has voiced their displeasure for both Biden and Trump and are looking toward a third party. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a controversial independent candidate, has been polling as high as 25 percent nationwide, which is the highest poll number of any third-party candidate in over 40 years. In addition, a recent poll from The Hill found that Kennedy Jr. leads both Biden and Trump in favorability. Kennedy Jr. scored a 52 percent favorable rating, with Trump and Biden at 51 percent and 46 percent respectively. This just goes to show how many Americans are exhausted by the traditional two-party system and eager to make a change.
No matter the outcome, it is clear that the 2024 election is going to be a wild ride. A feeling of déjà vu looms over the election, with a likely rematch between Biden and Trump. Biden faces a real challenge playing defense against Republican attacks and questions about his age. In order to succeed, he must maintain and strengthen the coalition that sent him to the White House in 2020. Only time will tell if President Biden can make lightning strike twice. But, beyond the 2024 election, one thing is clear — Americans are eager and ready for change.
Michael Toscano is a junior majoring in business administration.