President Joe Biden’s team is already working on his campaign for a second term, and although it’s not being actively promoted, it’s still publicly visible.
Biden’s upcoming 2024 campaign will reflect his messaging and policies from the past few months – highlighting his accomplishments, contrasting with Republican policies he views as extreme, and downplaying concerns about his age. His team argues that he has been campaigning all along by showcasing his administration’s implementation of new laws and portraying Republicans as being controlled by the far right. Although his message and activities in the coming months will be similar, the focus will shift as voters begin to tune in to the 2024 political landscape.
“President Biden is delivering and making the strong case for reelection before, during and after any formal campaign announcement,” said Democratic consultant and former Biden spokesman Scott Mulhauser. “Rather than throwing darts at calendars, let’s focus on the President doing his job and doing it well, from an investing in America tour, an economy humming and unemployment at historic lows to a home run of a State of the Union, an expertly pulled-off Ukraine trip and more.”
He added: “These wins on economic and political fronts onward are what success looks like, how incumbents win and matter far more than a campaign kick-off event.”
Biden’s aides are planning to release his reelection campaign launch video on Tuesday, which is also the four-year anniversary of his first successful campaign launch. Although it’s not clear if the president has taped the video yet, he is expected to select Julie Rodriguez as his campaign manager. Biden delayed announcing his candidacy because incumbents tend to hold off on announcing as long as possible. Leaks and private reassurances about his intention to run were made to reinforce to the political class that he was all-in for a second term and ward off any serious rivals for the nomination. He faces a more uncertain general election picture, but he needs to start fundraising, hence the launch now. Biden’s experience this time around will be different from four years ago, and he will have to juggle running for office with running the country, but his aides believe that both priorities are one and the same.
“The single best thing Joe Biden can do for his reelection is to continue to be president of United States, and, when he’s out there barnstorming the country, talking about what he’s delivered and what he wants to do,” said Eric Schultz, a Democratic operative and spokesman for former President Barack Obama. “That’s exactly what he’s been doing.”
Biden’s announcement for his reelection campaign is expected to happen during a busy week for his presidency. The timing is meant to highlight his focus on governing rather than campaigning. He has scheduled a series of events and meetings, including a speech to a trade union, a state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and a weekend appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Additionally, he is set to continue discussions with congressional Republicans on raising the nation’s borrowing authority.
Biden, who is already the oldest person ever elected president, is aware that he will have to deal with concerns about his fitness for the job. Despite this, he plans to mount a robust campaign when the time comes. He intends to follow a similar campaign roadmap to Obama, who waited 13 months before holding his first official reelection campaign rally.
However, Biden still faces skepticism, even from members of his own party. Only about half of Democrats think he should run again in 2024, although most would likely support him if he becomes the nominee. According to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 26% of Americans overall want Biden to run again, a slight increase from January.
Biden’s aides acknowledge that it is not enough for him to focus solely on his past accomplishments. He has started holding events to highlight components of his agenda that were left out during the Democrats’ legislative blitz over the last two years. Biden is using his position to push for strengthening gun control laws after recent high-profile shootings and to write into law a national right to abortion. His aides believe that both proposals have the support of most Americans, but they are unlikely to pass without significant Democratic majorities in Congress.