It’s no secret that the past two years have been a tumultuous time in the United States, especially under the authority of President Joe Biden. A dangerous and neglectful border policy, the abandoning of Afghanistan that has led to unstable conditions in South Central Asia and open threats to the United States’ safety, the Ukrainian war crisis and an increase in prices are amongst many of the various blunders that the Biden administration is responsible for. It is because of the numerous missteps this administration has overseen that lead many to ask President Biden not only to not seek reelection, but to step to the side in his current term. Though, the prospect of a 2024 presidential contest without Biden as the top Democrat opens up a can of worms for not only his own party, but the Republican Party as well, it is my opinion that a Biden-less party is the Democrat’s best chance in 2024.

With the State of the Union address still being fresh in the minds of many in the nation, people on both sides of the aisle are praising Biden for not only being able to finish his speech, but for bringing about an odd sense of unity in a period where we least expect it. Biden championed bipartisanship and administrative successes in his address, which not only positioned him to a place where it might be easy for many in his party to back him in a run in 2024, but dismisses any challenge to his bid. Despite his successes, there is still much up in the air about his candidacy and what he offers that his opponents lack. Being an incumbent, Biden has his current office to thank for the lack of contest coming out of his party against him, but has plenty of scrutiny coming from across the aisle. Using many of the issues discussed so far against him, Republicans have Biden playing defense and have forced him to present arguments in places his predecessors have not had to. Though, one thing in Biden’s favor is that is that he is not one person in particular, former President Donald Trump. 

Trump announced his bid late last year and has been vocally opposed to Biden’s policies and administration, having claimed false and dangerous narratives that the 2020 election was “rigged” and stolen from him. Biden, having won the electoral college by 74 votes three years ago, ran on the promise that he would end the COVID-19 pandemic and would reverse many of the Trump-era policies, but I find that he lacks a firm platform that would distinguish himself in the field and present himself as the common sense candidate. This, in my view, is a problem for Biden. Running solely as the anti-MAGA candidate has failed for not only Democrats, but Republican challengers to Trump-endorsed candidates in primaries and elections in the 2022 midterm elections. In fact, the only Trump-endorsed candidate who lost his primary was former North Carolina Representative Madison Cawthorn with an additional 34 of 233 preferred candidates losing to democrat challengers in the midterms compared to Biden’s 67% primary endorsement success rate for his 12 preferred candidates. Without a constant headline to run on that would position himself ahead of Trump, Biden has an uphill battle, especially with the soft approval ratings he’s been receiving from voters for the past two years. 

Though, a Biden ticket itself is something that Democrat leaders have reason to be fearful of. Many in the nation see Biden as a one-trick pony and has nothing to offer, which is distant from the Democratic Party’s message to their base and independent voters. Critics attribute this issue of disconnect to Biden’s age, hence his low ratings on topics and issues of the economy, jobs and other domestic issues when compared with his predecessors. However, with the recent midterms coming to an official end with Speaker Kevin McCarthy being elected speaker, there is much that the Democratic Party has to champion. The first Black minority leader of the house, Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), elected by his party to a leadership position in the House, and the Democratic Party overtook the “Red Wave” and washed it out, losing fewer seats in the house than expected having even picked up a senate seat in Pennsylvania with Sen. John Fetterman’s win over Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Overall, the Democratic platform itself is strong looking ahead to 2024, especially with issues being in national conversation which Democrats typically fare better with when compared with republicans. Topics like reproductive rights, immigration and healthcare are amongst those that the party is focusing on, but seems to leave Biden behind on. 

This seems to be the main issue of the question of Biden, as his party is connected to their base, but he is too focused on the wrong things. Republicans want a strong border, a robust and stable economy and a strong foreign policy. On the other hand Democrats want progressive solutions to domestic problems and tout common sense responses to everyday issues. However, Biden seems to go around his party’s platform and focus on issues he has already conquered. Repeatedly claiming COVID-19 is over yet pushing for more action on the issue of COVID-19, comparable to his action on climate change or healthcare, are examples of safety topics Biden keeps running back to for brownie points within his block of supporters. This is problematic for his cause in 2024 as most voters are concerned with the real issues, those most impactful on their daily lives, and not the issues of two or more years ago. 

Thankfully for Biden, when put up against Trump, most voters fall into their party lines and Biden beat Trump once and can do it again. But, with a negatively-viewed vice president running alongside him, a failed political agenda and a robust field of republican challengers, it might be time for Biden to step to the side and let a more ambitious and exhilarating candidate take the wheel for the Democratic Party in 2024. Whether that is Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar or New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, the Democratic Party has a vast number of qualified candidates to challenge conservative titans like Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or former UN ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. 

With the world moving on from COVID-19, many in our nation want an exciting candidate who will tackle the issues that matter, lead by example and most importantly, be the figure that many in America would be proud to claim as their president. Unfortunately for Biden, his image and administration seems to be too plagued by itself to match his party’s speed and keep up with the competition. If Biden were to step to the side and endorse another candidate for 2024, he would allow his party to potentially put forth and elect someone from a more diverse background who will fight for America and represent her in ways that he hasn’t been able to. 

Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is undecided from Scottsdale, Ariz.