Former President Donald Trump put speculation to rest earlier this month when he announced his 2024 White House bid, but the upcoming presidential race remains the subject of plenty more conjecture on both sides of the aisle.
Most notably, a number of Democratic voters — and even a few party officials — have expressed a desire to see someone other than President Joe Biden take on the GOP nominee in two years.
One of the most prominent figures being discussed as a possible Democratic presidential contender is California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was recently elected to another term.
While many leftists believe he has what it takes to mount a compelling White House campaign, he made it clear this week that he would not challenge Biden in 2024.
In a statement to Politico, Newsom said that he has “told everyone in the White House, from the chief of staff to the first lady,” that he would not be running in 2024 if the current president seeks another term.
If the upcoming race is a 2020 rematch between Biden and Trump, the California governor said his money is on the incumbent, stating that he would “enthusiastically support” Biden.
Although Biden has frequently stated that his intention is to run for another term, he has not made it official. He recently celebrated his 80th birthday, which is a first for any sitting president, and critics across the ideological spectrum are openly concerned about his cognitive abilities.
Furthermore, roughly two-thirds of voters who participated in a CBS News exit poll during the recent midterm elections said that they would prefer for Biden to bow out of the 2024 presidential race.
PRELIMINARY CBS NEWS EXIT POLL — NATIONAL:
Would you like to see Joe Biden run for president again in 2024?
No 66%
Yes 30%— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) November 8, 2022
Biden recently referenced the uncertainty about his re-election plans, suggesting that he will be making an announcement in the near future.
Ignoring all the evidence to the contrary, he told reporters that he believes “everybody” wants him to run for another term, noting that it will be “a family decision” that should be reached at some point over the holidays.
“I’m a great respecter of fate,” Biden said, adding: “I hope Jill and I get a little time to actually sneak away for a week around — between Christmas and Thanksgiving. And my guess is it would be early next year when we make that judgment.”
