Earlier this month, President Joe Biden reassured aides and allies that he intends to seek reelection in 2024 as concerns surrounding his viability as a candidate continue to fester inside Democratic circles.
Biden told campaign donors at a virtual fundraiser in early November that he has no plans to forgo running for a second term, although he cautioned that he has “never been able to plan 3½, four years ahead, for certain.”
Former Democratic National Committee chair and ex-governor of Pennsylvania Ed Rendell said that “what [Biden] is saying publicly is what he firmly believes. There’s no difference. He will not run if he feels he can’t do the job physically or emotionally.”
But that lingering uncertainty, however small it may be, has Democratic voters exploring other options to lead their party’s ticket in the next presidential election.
On Friday, a joint survey conducted by Hill-Harrisx provided a glimpse into who the leading potential contenders are if Biden decides to only serve a single term.
Vice President Kamala Harris led the pack with 13% support. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, who has given no indication that she intends to run for political office, came in a close second at 10%, according to the poll.
United States Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Cory Booker(D-New Jersey), along with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I), former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were also on the list but none of them received more than 5% support.
Most respondents – 36% – were “unsure” of who their hypothetical alternative to Biden would be. And 13% picked names that were not on the original list, according to the poll.
Biden will be 81-years-old when the next presidential election rolls around. Last weekend, he received a clean bill of health following his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
