President Joe Biden's recent polling numbers could potentially change his decision to run for reelection in 2024, according to an adviser to former President Barack Obama.
During an interview with CNN on Tuesday, David Axelrod, who previously served as a strategist for Obama's presidential campaigns, was asked about a recent poll that found that 75 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters said they do not want Biden to run again in 2024. In response, Axelrod said that a "time will come when these numbers have to be accounted for, and he's going to have to make a decision" on if he will run for the presidency again in 2024.
"I mean, obviously, this is a very unhappy bit of data for him. I'm sure, you know, it is concerning. But we should point out that he's got two and a half years before the next election, or a little less than two and a half years, so you can over—you can get overly focused on one number. But there are a series of numbers that are not good for his overall approval rating," Axelrod said.
The comments by Axelrod came as the U.S. faces a number of different issues, such as an economic downturn and rising inflation, that have resulted in a decline in Biden's approval rating.
On Tuesday, a CNN poll found that 75 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters think the party should nominate a different candidate for the 2024 presidential election, which was up from 51 percent recorded in January and February. The poll also found that 24 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters believe that Biden won't be able to defeat any Republican candidate in 2024.
Data from RealClearPolitics also shows Biden facing a decrease in his approval rating. RealClearPolitics' average of several polls shows that 37.7 percent of Americans currently approve of the job Biden is doing, while 56.6 percent disapprove.
In December, Biden told ABC News that he plans on running for reelection in 2024, saying, "If I'm in the health I'm in now, if I'm in good health, then in fact, I would run again."
During an interview with The New York Times earlier this year, Axelrod made similar comments about a potential 2024 run for Biden and cited his age as "a major issue."
"He looks his age and isn't as agile in front of a camera as he once was, and this has fed a narrative about competence that isn't rooted in reality," Axelrod said. "The presidency is a monstrously taxing job and the stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue."
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
