President Biden and Vice President Harris have officially announced that they will seek re–election in 2024 in a video released early this morning. The announcement comes four years to the day that Biden announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election, which he eventually won over former President Donald Trump.
In the video titled “Freedom,” President Biden echoed his 2020 campaign message of battling for the “soul of our nation,” uniting the country, and supporting the middle class, his campaign said. The video opens with footage of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol protest.
“Freedom. Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans. There’s nothing more important. Nothing more sacred,” Biden, 80, said in the video. “That’s been the work of my first term: To fight for our Democracy. This shouldn’t be a red or blue issue.”
The campaign also announced Campaign Manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez and Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks in their respective roles, along with a team of national co–chairs including Sens. Tammy Duckworth, Chris Coons, Reps. Lisa Blunt–Rochester, Jim Clyburn, Veronica Escobar, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Vice President Harris also released a statement, calling the 2024 presidential election a “pivotal moment in our history“ and attacking Republicans as “extremists“ and accusing GOP candidates of wanting to take the country “backward.”
But the president and vice president remain highly unpopular, with Biden‘s approval ratings in the low 40s in most polls. According to the latest Fox News national survey, Biden‘s job performance rating currently stands at 44% approve vs. 56% disapprove. Fox News polls show the president’s approval rating hovers at a low point among several key voting groups, including women, voters ages 45+, suburban voters, rural voters and Democrats.
President Biden‘s time in office has been roiled by a series of world issues including the COVID–19 pandemic, North Korea launching ballistic missiles, Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, and China‘s unchecked ascendancy in the Indo–Pacific region, including their pushing countries away from using the U.S. dollar and from supporting Taiwan. Domestically, violent crime remains high in cities across the country and the U.S.-Mexico border faces record–high immigration figures, including the surge of deadly fentanyl. He also allowed a Chinese spy aircraft to float across the country.
Meanwhile, his son‘s involvement with the Chinese and a Ukrainian energy firm, and other business dealings have also raised issues for the administration.
It remains to be seen whether Biden and Harris can keep their promises of unity and respect in the upcoming election, or if their unpopularity will lead to a different outcome in 2024.
