OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The longer Joe Biden’s presidency lasts, the worse things look for him and for his party as it becomes increasingly apparent that backing a candidate who cannot ‘hold his own’ turns out not to have been such a smart play after all.
Specifically, Democratic insiders and analysts believe that the party is in for a washout during this year’s midterm elections, and they see Biden — and to another extent, Vice President Kamala Harris — as most responsible for it, though frankly, there is enough blame to go around, given the party’s far-left agenda.
But to that point, a Politico report citing several Democratic strategists says that there will a progressive will attempt to enter the 2024 primary race as a challenger to Biden.
“Will there be a progressive challenger? Yes,” Jeff Weaver, a former presidential campaign manager for Sen. Bernie Sanders said.
Fox News adds:
Some believe that Nina Turner or former 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson might challenge President Biden.
In describing President Biden, another progressive strategist said that he’s “deeply unpopular” and “old as s—.”
“He’s deeply unpopular. He’s old as sh*t. He’s largely been ineffective, unless we’re counting judges or whatever the hell inside-baseball scorecard we’re using. And I think he’ll probably get demolished in the midterms,” Corbin Trent, former communications director for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and co-founder of No Excuses PAC said.
Far-left activists and groups are also starting to blame Biden for supposed inaction on key issues like “climate change,” though they forget that he’s already issued several executive orders seen as hampering fossil fuel exploration and production.
For example, a group called “Occupy Biden” gathered near his residence in Delaware between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 to protest and demand that he declare a “climate emergency.” A group spokesperson blasted Biden for not doing enough on the issue, though as president, he can only do so much and would need the Legislative Branch to pass legislation for broader moves.
“We do understand that an administration that at least believes and asserts that climate crisis is real is an asset. But in a time of emergency we must act to do everything possible to avert catastrophe,” Karen Igou, a spokesperson for Occupy Biden, told Fox News on Saturday.
Progressives are stepping up their critique of Biden over the failure of various issues to pass, but others doubt that a left-wing challenge would ultimately be successful.
“I think when you look at the [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and the Bernies, they’re really disappointed that the deal was struck by the end of this year. I think they feel like he’s sold out. I think that they were really disappointed with any compromise that he made,” said Lee Carter, a Republican pollster. “They’re ready to pounce on him.”
But Carter added that it is no certainty that the criticism will rise to the level of spawning a left-wing challenge for the 2024 nomination. That doesn’t mean the party’s uber-left faction, which is growing, won’t try to continue pushing him in their direction.
“I think that President Biden is in a very difficult position because he’s got to make concessions to the far left,” Carter said. “But then he’s also got people like Joe Manchin that he’s got to make sure he doesn’t lose.”
Said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion: “If a Democrat runs, it would be viewed as divisive within the party and is likely not to attract a marquee candidate. I think it might be someone who is still looking to raise some issues and create some attention.”
Democratic strategist and former Biden campaign surrogate Kevin Walling brushed off any challenges from fringe figures like Turner.
“With all due respect to Nina Turner, there is a reason that she was unsuccessful in her Democratic primary for Congress. Turns out that running against a popular Democratic president and a member of her own party is not a winning strategy. I think any talk of a potential primary challenge is not just premature, but also misguided and just noise to put pressure on the president from his left flank,” Walling said.
