President Joe Biden's announcement to run for reelection in 2024 comes four years to the day that he threw his name in the hat for president in the 2020 election.
The president is running on a message portraying Republicans as "ultra MAGAs," a reference to former President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.
In a video accompanying his announcement, President Biden said the work of his first term has been fighting for freedoms, democracy, rights and equality, saying that "personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans."
But, "around the country, MAGA extremists are lining up to take on those bedrock freedoms," he said.
President Biden attacked Republican ideologies in his campaign video, saying the GOP stands on cutting Social Security Americans have paid for their entire lives, while cutting taxes for the very wealthy. He said Republicans have been dictating what health care decisions women can make, banning books and telling people who they can love.
Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms. I believe this is ours.
That’s why I’m running for reelection as President of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job. https://t.co/V9Mzpw8Sqy pic.twitter.com/Y4NXR6B8ly
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 25, 2023
He flashed images in his video of Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as images of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, painting a stark contrast between the red and blue.
President Biden announces bid for second term
The 2024 election could be a rare rematch between a former president and sitting president.
On the economic side, President Biden is going to run on a message of what he feels are bipartisan, centrism, economic policies, as it relates to passing a massive bipartisan infrastructure plan. And on foreign policy, he's going to say that he strengthened U.S. alliances pertaining to NATO during Russia's war with Ukraine.
Either way, the American electorate is skeptical of a rematch of 2020.
Just 26% of Americans said they want President Biden, who is the oldest sitting U.S. president, to run again, according to a recent NBC News survey. About 70% say they do not want him to run again.
