Democratic voters react to Biden's 2024 run announcement

US voters
By Chloe Kim
BBC News, London

US President Joe Biden has officially announced he will run again in 2024.

The BBC asked Democratic voters how they feel about the 80-year-old president seeking re-election, starting with their feelings in three words.

While some feel he has accomplished much as president, others say he is not their first choice this time.

In three words: Hopeful, comfortable, optimistic

Only in America would the politics continue to be dominated by those who are over 65, when most other democracies have people under 50 leading those countries. Our system is broken if the only people who get the parties' nominations are over 70, white, and men.

Biden has done so much good for our country as a senator, the vice-president and even in the past two years as president. However, he will always be vilified for his age. I feel bad that many on the other side claim his health is faltering, when it's not - he is simply an 80-year-old with a stutter.

I do wish there was someone new. I believe that Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Tammy Duckworth, Hakeem Jeffries, JB Pritzker or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could fill that position.

I think his chances of winning against a rematch with Trump are way better than against Ron DeSantis. I think he could pull off the win and I plan to vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is, and I will continue voting for Democrats until the GOP [Republican Party] can create a platform that is not based on hatred.

I prefer experience

Right now, I'm just really happy to have someone I agree with on the critical topics of gay rights and women's rights, climate change, and letting the system do it's job - someone who will make politics boring again. I miss the boring part the most.

[John F] Kennedy was young and still died in office so age is not a guarantee of anything. I'm not a big fan of Vice-President Harris and I'm not sure she has the ability to motivate folks in Congress, but I'm OK with that risk over someone other than Biden. I do think he can beat the Republican candidate, whoever that is.

Ready for it

I'm not worried about his age. Age is no guarantee of competence or creativity. What he has accomplished in his presidency is a record to be proud of at any age.

As for other candidates, I am excited about the governors - Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, Wes Moore in Maryland and Joshua Shapiro in Pennsylvania. If Trump were not running and not likely to win the GOP nomination, I would be excited to support Whitmer in a bid for president if she runs. She is tough, effective and relatable.

I believe Biden can win against Trump, but would probably lose more independent votes against another Republican.

Resigned, uneasy, dutiful

If a president dies in office, a vice-president choice can radically change the course of history. So yes, I'm incredibly worried about his age and the person at the helm if he is incapacitated while in office.

For a running mate, I'd really like to see John Fetterman bring an economic labour voice to national leadership. JB Pritzker, Mitch Landrieu or Roy Cooper would all be more helpful than Kamala Harris in the general election against any Republican ticket. Ultimately, many feel we're forced to vote Democratic as a form of damage control, not because they provide leadership or actually serve the public interest.

All things being equal, yes, I think Biden can pull off a win. He's performed far better than expected but this is largely circumstantial. There's so much that can happen between now and the election though.

Disappointed, not surprised

I'm very concerned - he's absolutely too old to hold public office. He very clearly shows his age in his demeanour and in his speech. His actual cognitive faculties seem to still be mostly there, but who knows for how much longer?

I do wish there was someone else with newer and more progressive ideas. I don't know who that would be.

I do think that he can win again, but it would be really close. It would certainly be close assuming it's Trump. I really don't think Ron DeSantis, or anyone else for that matter, has the ability to win the Republican nomination if Trump is in the field.

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