Will 2024 see both Biden and Trump running for president again?

During the first months of his presidential campaign, Biden signaled to his campaign aides that he might only serve a single term, a position he now seems to have reversed.

During his first televised press conference since assuming office in January, President Joe Biden announced that he intends to run for reelection in 2024, increasing the possibility that the next presidential election might involve the same candidates as the last one.

“The answer is yes,” he responded to a reporter’s question at the conference, “my plan is to run for reelection. That’s my expectation.”

Whether or not Biden would be running for a second term has been a major point of discussion since he threw his hat into the presidential race in 2019. Biden is 78 years old, making him the oldest president in American history. Republicans have consistently pointed to his age to suggest that Biden doesn’t have the stamina or mental acuity necessary for someone in his position.

During the first months of his presidential campaign, Biden signaled to his campaign aides that he might only serve a single term, a position he now seems to have reversed.

Biden also confirmed at the press conference that he plans on once again running with Kamala Harris, praising the vice president on the work she’s done so far. Harris was recently named the White House’s point person with regard to the migrant crisis currently taking place at the United States’ southern border.

“While Biden has said he plans to run for reelection, what’s also clear is that the administration is giving a lot of responsibility and visibility to Vice President Harris,” Dr. Lauren Wright, a professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University, told TMS. She added that, “putting her in charge of the border crisis is definitely an opportunity for her to show leadership capabilities on a really difficult issue.”

However, Dr. Wright emphasized that Harris’ new position comes with some serious challenges.

“The downside of that of course is that there are a lot of variables involved in immigration that are out of the administration’s control. If a solution is not found that will become a big political hurdle should Harris run for president in the future.”

Biden’s comments come just weeks after former President Donald Trump teased a 2024 presidential run at February’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

“Who knows? I may even decide to beat them for a third time,” Trump said during his speech at the conference in Florida, making reference to his false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.

But Dr. Wright says that a Trump nomination in 2024 would cause problems for Republicans.

“I think the only way for Republicans to achieve long-term electoral success is to leave Trump in the rear-view mirror. His record is toxic for the party and a dream for Democrats to campaign against.” She added that Republicans should, “to whatever extent possible discourage Trump from running.”

When asked about a potential match up with the former president, Biden said that he didn’t know what the coming years would bring.

“I have no idea if there will be a Republican party,” he said to a reporter. “Do you?”

Biden did, however, leave the door open for another Democrat to potentially take his place during the next election, calling himself “a great respecter of fate.”

“I’m not so sure Trump and Biden will be the nominees,” said Dr. Wright, pointing at a possible Harris run and the need for the Republican Party to earn back moderate and independent voters in order to win a general election.

Some Republicans are already gearing up for a run if Trump decides not to. Among those seemingly looking to take his place are former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Florida Senator Rick Scott, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and even former Vice President Mike Pence.

These Republicans have been quietly conducting their own soft campaign operations in early primary states like Iowa and South Carolina, states where getting a foot in the door could prove to be crucial in the event Trump announces he’s not running.

“If you do nothing and assume Trump’s going to run and he says, ‘I’m not going to run,’ then you’re scrambling,” said the former chair of the Republican Party from Iowa’s Polk County, Wesley Enos. “Now is your opportunity, realistically.”

Regardless of who might be running on one side or the other, Dr. Wright says that the entire way elections have previously been conducted might now be changing.

“As we have seen in recent years, the era of party-centered campaigns, especially on the Republican side, seems to be coming to an end.”

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