For some time now, there’s been an expectation that the 2024 presidential election would be a rematch of the 2020 election. And there’s some justification for that. Donald Trump has long led in the polls in GOP primary matchups, and Joe Biden is the incumbent president-ish person. Of course, polls have shown that the public isn’t particularly yearning for such a rematch, and the certainty of the 2020 rematch is not necessarily something we should take for granted.
The big question in the Republican Party right now is whether Ron DeSantis can overcome Donald Trump’s substantial lead in the polls. After raising more than $8.2 million in campaign donations after launching his campaign, there seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for DeSantis, and it will be interesting to see how his official entry into the race changes the dynamics of the primary contest.
But some are suggesting that Joe Biden is no sure thing for the Democratic Party nomination either. Democratic primary voters have certainly been open to the idea of nominating someone with a pulse and a fully functioning brain — and they know that Joe Biden does not meet those qualifications. Shortly after Joe Biden’s announcement, polls showed his approval ratings hitting a record low, and he trailed behind both Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis in general election matchups. It was definitely not a good start, and one can’t help but wonder if Biden will actually end up as the Democratic Party’s nominee.
I recently expressed my doubts, and now former GOP presidential candidate and chairman of Forbes Media, Steve Forbes, is predicting unequivocally that Joe Biden won’t be the nominee next year.
On Fox News, Forbes compared the current state of the economy as similar to walking pneumonia, and that there is a sense of economic fatigue due to a series of challenges, including persistent inflation, rising prices, and inadequate wage growth. Additionally, the ongoing negotiations on the debt ceiling have created a feeling that the country is adrift, with concerns about the inability to control spending despite a significant increase in the national debt.
Show co-host Bill Hemmer noted that polls show that many Americans believe Biden’s policies are hurting them, and only 20% say they’re getting help from the administration.
“That’s not good,” Hemmer said.
“No, and I think that’s why next year Joe Biden will not be the Democratic Party nominee,” Forbes predicted.
“Woah,” Hemmer said, shocked. “You’re on record.”
“On record,” Forbes repeated. “Because the economy — yeah, they can sweep the Hunter stuff away — but that has a stench out there. So you have a poor economy, you have a president people feel is not up to the job anymore, certainly not for the next four years. So I don’t know what the scenario is going to be, but they cannot have him running in November of 2024.”
Co-host Jacqui Heinrich wondered who he thought might take Biden’s place.
Forbes offered Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) as potential alternatives, though he acknowledged that Kamala Harris may get in their way. “Maybe there’ll be a Supreme Court seat opening. Who knows what the scenario is? But they know that cannot go with this guy in this kind of condition, especially after the debates in the Republican Party showed this a party developing ideas, a lot of new faces. And so people want something new.”
"I THINK THAT'S WHY NEXT YEAR, JOE BIDEN WILL NOT BE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINEE" – @SteveForbesCEO. New polls on the economy may be spelling trouble for the Biden administration. @JacquiHeinrich: "I wonder, who do you think it could be? If not Joe Biden?"@SteveForbesCEO: "I… pic.twitter.com/eIeb8qF7tV
— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) May 26, 2023
I do not doubt that Biden’s inner circle believes he is the Democrats’ best chance to retain the White House in 2024. However, recent events and polling indicate that this is a substantial gamble, and Biden’s actions are increasingly raising concerns about his physical and mental fitness, he’s losing the battle over the debt ceiling. Will the Democratic Party pull the plug on Biden?
It’s hard to see how they don’t.
