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On Monday, Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to run for reelection. In a letter to congressional Democrats, Biden stated he is “firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race until the end, and to beating Donald Trump.”
The letter comes a little over a week after Biden’s disastrous debate performance against President Donald Trump. The debate left many in the Democratic Party questioning whether Biden was capable of continuing his campaign and whether another nominee might be a better alternative.
Biden seemed to dismiss these concerns in his letter to Congress, stating that he would stay in the race “despite speculation in the press and elsewhere.” Biden’s letter also stressed the importance of the nominating process, which had selected him as the Democratic Party candidate, stating he would not ignore the wishes of primary voters who had chosen him to be their party’s nominee.
Biden further insisted that he should remain in the race because he has the best chance of winning. “I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024,” Biden said.
The analysis from Biden seems to differ from recent polling results, particularly on issue-based questions such as the economy and immigration. Voters have consistently viewed Trump as stronger than Biden on these issues.
The question of whether Biden is the strongest candidate against President Trump also depends on who the possible alternatives might be. Vice President Harris would be the most likely choice, and polling data indicates she would perform comparably with Biden.
Biden also stressed the timing in his letter. He reminded congressional Democrats that the Democratic Convention, the time when the party would presumably officially nominate its candidate, takes place in 42 days. This would leave the Democratic Party very little time to select and promote another nominee in Biden’s place.
“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us,” Biden said.
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to begin on August 19, 2024.
