U.S. President Joe Biden has officially launched his 2024 re-election campaign, promising to tame high inflation and spark economic growth in the years ahead.
Biden’s re-election bid comes amid worries about his age. He is the oldest person to serve as U.S. president at age 80. If re-elected, he would be 82 on Inauguration Day 2025.
An NBC News poll released on April 23 showed that 70% of Americans, including 51% of Democrats, believe President Biden should not seek a second term.
The poll revealed that half of voters who don’t want Biden to run again say his age is a “major” factor in their concerns.
Additionally, The New York Times recently ran an editorial saying that President Biden should take voters worries about his age seriously.
Despite the concerns, no serious opposition to Biden has emerged among his Democratic political party.
Biden’s likely challenger in the 2024 election campaign is former President Donald Trump, who leads a crowded field of Republicans vying for the party’s presidential candidate nomination.
Early polling shows a close hypothetical election between Biden and Trump. A recent Wall Street Journal poll found Biden leading Trump in a head-to-head race by three percentage points – 48% to 45%.
During his first term, Biden has been able to accomplish many of his campaign promises due to a Democratic-controlled Congress. He pushed through a pandemic relief plan, a $1 trillion infrastructure law, and the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act.
Biden also used executive orders to implement changes on issues such as student loan forgiveness and police reform.
On the international stage, Biden has led international allies to support Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of that country.
The economy, often a predictor for how incumbent presidents fare in re-election campaigns, offers mixed signals for Biden. Unemployment is near a 54-year low, but inflation is still an issue, particularly for American consumers.
Biden currently has a 41% job approval rating, according to the latest NBC News poll. That’s up from a low of 39% in May 2022.
