Senior Democrats are rallying behind President Joe Biden for reelection in 2024, not because he is their first choice, but out of concern an alternative, younger nominee won't be successful.
Concerns over Biden's age have circulated since he entered office, something the president has brushed off numerous times. While not all Democrats are thrilled about having an 82-year-old run for a second term, they find the alternatives, such as Vice President Kamala Harris securing the Democratic nomination or former President Donald Trump coming back to the White House, much more alarming.
SCHUMER DISMISSES LACK OF ENTHUSIASM FOR BIDEN 2024 RUN: 'YOU CAN'T ALWAYS BELIEVE POLLING'
“Nobody wants to be the one to do something that would undermine the chances of a Democratic victory in 2024,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) said in an interview with Politico. “Yet in quiet rooms, the conversation is just the opposite — we could be at a higher risk if this path is cleared.”
Democrats had a surprisingly good 2022 midterm cycle despite losing control of the House. The highly touted "red wave" failed to materialize, and though the GOP won back the lower chamber in Congress, its majority is far smaller than anticipated. Democrats held on to the Senate after flipping and securing seats in battleground states. They took complete control after operating in an awkward 50-50 power-sharing agreement and relying on Harris to cast tiebreaking votes.
However, private conversations regarding the 2024 election and the future of the Democratic Party have not subsided.
“It’s fear, plain and simple,” Phillips said regarding the lack of Democrats calling for a new nominee and the reluctance of other candidates to step forward. “People are focused on self-preservation and their aspirations.“
Phillips added that he believes Biden is a president of great competence and success.
"And if he were 15-20 years younger, it would be a no-brainer to nominate him, but considering his age, it’s absurd we’re not promoting competition but trying to extinguish it," Phillips said.
While Phillips has been open in his calls for supporting an alternative to Biden in 2024, most Democrats who agree with him aren't letting their names get attached to those sentiments.
Democrats who spoke to Politico off the record told stories about how the party has to get Biden off the "narcotic" of the office, talked about how little the president will be up to campaigning, and attempted to persuade him he was already victorious by talking to first lady Jill Biden about how her husband had saved democracy.
Fear over nominee selection is happening within the GOP, as well, but for different reasons. Republicans do not seem to have a problem gathering other nominees, as speculation continues to circle around a slew of potential candidates, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
So far, Trump and his former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, are the only household names who have announced they are running for president in 2024.
However, Senate Republicans have expressed concern that a large pool of GOP candidates could help Trump get the presidential nomination. Many senators are neutral at this point in the race, with few offering any criticism of Trump or stating that he is not their preferred candidate.
Tensions between the Senate Republicans and Trump have been high in recent years over party performance after the GOP experienced majority losses in the Senate and House, and the White House.
Democrats fear the same thing happening to them. Polls indicate that Democratic voters are less enthused about a second term for Biden and hope the party selects a new nominee.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) has joined Phillips in a public call for a new Democratic candidate but said she would still support Biden if he chose to run again. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) also agreed, saying that Biden is the "guy that can beat Trump."
“He’s the president,” Beatty told Politico. “And right now, he says he’s going to be our candidate. And people will fall in line because he can win the general election.”
Concerns over Harris's nomination have affected the Democrats' approach to the 2024 election, as well. Most Democrats are unwilling to offer public criticism of the vice president and her chances, given that she is the first woman and first black woman to occupy the position. Still, the concern over her electability is talked about in the background.
“The Democrats who will need to speak out on her are from the Congressional Black Caucus, no white member is going to do it," an anonymous House Democrat told Politico.
Democratic governors told reporters during a news conference that they "don't think we're going to go there on that one" when asked about nominating Harris without a primary should Biden decide to step away.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Despite opposition to Harris, Phillips thinks the Democratic Party should approach the 2024 election more openly overall.
“What I’m trying to remind my colleagues and the country is that competition is good, and the absence of competition is unhealthy for democracy,” Phillips said, adding that “not providing platforms to aspiring leaders is antithetical to strong leadership.”