Will Joe Biden run again in 2024?

There are a few contenders waiting in the wings on the Democratic side, as well — although their potential bids will probably all depend upon if Joe Biden, who’d be 82 at the end of a second term, plans to run for re-election. What’s the septuagenarian president planning? Here is all the things you’ll want to know:

What has Biden stated about running for re-election?

Biden has mentioned that he intends to run once more in 2024 however has not yet formally decided, CNN reports.

On quite a few occasions, the president has expressed his intention of running for re-election. He stated as much to MSNBC host Al Sharpton in the White House last month and MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart in an interview just last week, as well.

Nonetheless, he has not yet made an official determination on whether or not to run. When asked why he hadn’t formally made up his mind, Biden responded, “once I make that judgment, a whole series of regulations kick in and I have to be — I treat myself as a candidate from that moment on.”

Biden is presently 79 years old, making him the oldest president in U.S. history and if he were to win once more, he could be well into his 80s. His approval rating in October 2022 sits at roughly 43%, a rise from the 37% it was back in July.

Do people want Biden to run once more?

The view on whether or not Biden ought to run has been mixed amongst Democrats.

Many Democratic representatives haven’t given clear answers as as to whether they want him to run. When Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was asked in September whether or not she believes Biden ought to run once more, she responded by saying that she’s “not having that conversation,” Time reports.

It seems that Democrats are leaving the president space to make his own choice. For instance, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi mentioned that Biden “cares about the air we breathe, the water we drink, the education of our children, jobs for their families, pensions for their seniors, any subject you can name,” in a press conference in September, but additionally went on to say that she’s “not going into politics about whether the president should run or not.”

Many have stated that they’d support the president in his endeavors if he were to run once more. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated “if he runs, I’ll support him,” and California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated he was “pro-Biden,” Time continues. Vice President Kamala Harris, the subject of speculation herself about a potential 2024 campaign, has stated that if Biden decides to run, she would “[run] with him proudly,” reports Insider.

The public appears to be more hesitant about Biden as a nominee, with a poll showing that 56% of Democrat-leaning respondents would favor “someone other than Biden” as the nominee, reports The Washington Post. That number is actually quite an improvement from July, when 75 percent of Democratic voters didn’t want Biden to run once more.

“My hunch is that we need new leadership across the board — Democrats, Republicans, I think it’s time for a generational move,” Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) has remarked.

Nonetheless, with the threat that Donald Trump may run again, Biden could also be the best choice for Democrats given that he beat Trump once before, the Post continues.

Has Biden accomplished anything to prepare for a campaign?

Whereas there have not been any overt plans, Biden aides have reportedly begun to piece together a campaign behind the scenes, NBC News reviews. They plan to have a small campaign staff and heavily rely on the resources of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). “He’s running and we’re building an infrastructure for him to run and win,” stated Cedric Richmond, a key Biden adviser who’s presently in the DNC.

Regardless of all of this, many Democrats aren’t assured the president will really run due to his wishy-washy answers and his age, CNN reports. The Biden administration is likely utilizing the midterms as a metric for whether or not to run once more, seeing as abortion and inflation are key points to voters, both of which Biden has promised to deal with.

In the meantime, other candidates have began stirring. Newsom and Harris have been engaging with donors getting ready for a possible campaign should Biden not run, according to CNBC. Harris has reportedly been in contact with allies who helped on her campaigns for district attorney in California and both Newsom and Harris have made contact with a Wall Street executive.

Nonetheless, as of now, Biden has clearly expressed interest in running. As Ashley Etienne, former communications director for Harris, stated, “A lot of folks were unsure about how we were going to finish, but Biden always finishes strong.”