Special Poll
The Biden campaign has sounded the alarm for what it predicts to be a tightly contested 2024 presidential race, potentially setting the stage for a rematch with former President Trump. With a year to go, the campaign’s strategists are bracing for a close fight.
Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez has expressed confidence in their readiness to take on the challenge, emphasizing their preparedness to face any candidate from the “extreme MAGA Republicans’ primary field.” Despite this, Rodriguez acknowledges the expectation of a close general election.
Rodriguez highlights the campaign’s strengths, citing President Biden’s commitment to defending democracy and the nation’s values, which she believes continues to resonate with the electorate. She contrasts this with the GOP’s focus on divisive issues like abortion bans. Financially, the Biden campaign is well-equipped, boasting a war chest of $91 million.
Democratic successes in recent elections, including the 2020 presidential race and the midterms, are seen as advantageous for Biden’s re-election bid. Rodriguez points to these victories as evidence of the president’s viable routes to securing the necessary 270 electoral votes.
Despite Trump’s lead in GOP primary polls and his strong positioning in early primary states, the Biden campaign only sparingly mentions him by name. The memo criticizes Trump’s policies and actions, including the 2017 tax bill and efforts to dismantle Roe v. Wade, while also noting the potential for the Republican primary to deplete the opposition’s resources.
The Biden campaign is leveraging the unity within the Democratic Party and the support of the Democratic National Committee to build a robust campaign infrastructure for the upcoming election. In contrast, the Republican primary is expected to be a resource-intensive battle.
While the Biden campaign faces some primary opposition from figures like Marianne Williamson and independents Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Rodriguez suggests that the latter may actually draw more support away from Trump than Biden.
As the political landscape heats up, the third Republican primary debate is on the horizon in Miami. Trump, who has been absent from previous debates, is not expected to make an appearance.