Biden announces bid for re-election in 2024

The first-term U.S. President, underwater with nearly a 53% disapproval, would be 82 years old when sworn in for a second term should he win.

As anticipated, President Joe Biden has announced he will seek re-election to the White House in 2024, putting to rest speculation that the 80-year-old first term chief executive may step aside.

Biden, a Democrat, made the campaign announcement in a pre-recorded 3-minute video released across social media early Tuesday morning, April 25. The video opened with selected footage from the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, followed by an image of a sign saying, “Abortion is healthcare,” a reference to the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022.

Biden’s voiceover stressed the need to “defend democracy” and standup for personal freedom while taking aim at “MAGA extremists.” He also hit a similar chord from his 2020 campaign, once again saying there’s a battle for the “soul of America.”

“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we are in a battle for the soul of America. And we still are. The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer,” Biden said.

Biden is the oldest ever first term U.S. President, having been sworn in at 78 in 2020. If re-elected in 2024, he would enter a second term at the age of 82.

President Biden is largely unpopular, and has been since August 2021, just six months into his term. According to the latest average polling from FiveThirtyEight, 52.8% disapprove of the President. He came into office with a 53% approval rating.

Despite the up-side-down polling, incumbent President Biden is the odds-on favorite to once again win the Democratic Party nomination as is the norm. Sitting President rarely face credible challenges in their re-election bids. Vice President Kamala Harris will be Biden’s running mate as well.

However, Biden will have a party primary at least at the early going as Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy. Jr. have announced presidential campaigns. Other Democrats have reportedly been considering jumping into the race as well, including California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Assuming Biden is the Democratic Party nominee for the White House in 2024, the General Election race could be a rematch from 2020 as former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a third bid for the presidency. Trump, who is 76 years old, is currently polling at the top of the list for potential Republican Party presidential candidates.

Other announced Republican presidential candidates at this point include Nikki Haley, Larry Elder, Asa Hutchinson, Perry Johnson, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Steve Laffey. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remains a popular potential presidential candidate for Republicans but he has not made a decision on the 2024 race at this time.