The focus is fixed on Republicans when it comes to 2024 presidential primary politics: Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is now in Florida, and Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to announce his bids for the party’s nomination, making it a six-pack of competitors so far against the damaged but still dominant Donald Trump.
By contrast, there’s relative calm on the Democratic side, where President Joe Biden has no major rivals for re-election. Yet the placidity belies simmering anxiety. Nearly a month after the president released the three-minute video confirming he is seeking a second term, he hasn’t quieted doubts about his candidacy among party leaders and voters. If anything, the worries are mounting, flowing from his consistently low poll ratings and his advanced age.
Media surveys just before and after Biden’s announcement, for NBC News and for the Washington Post/ABC News, respectively, showed that more Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters opposed his running again than favored it. Democratic operatives still speculate, in private conversations, about younger, more vibrant alternatives and “what if” scenarios. Biden’s less-than-apparent heir, Vice President Kamala Harris, is excluded from the handicapping because she is even less popular in polls than he is.
Let’s take a moment to consider some of the up-and-coming Democrats who are perhaps missing their moment given Biden’s quest for four more years.
The fact is, the Democrats have a deeper bench of potentially presidential-caliber politicians than is generally appreciated. A handful are ready for prime time now. A few could use a bit more experience.