With the 2024 Presidential elections in full swing, the competition is fierce, and there are a few candidates emerging as serious contenders. While election day is still about a year off (taking place on November 5th, 2024), presidential candidates have already taken up campaigning, debating, and fighting for their spot on the national stage. With three official Republican national debates in the books, let’s take a look at the frontrunners of all three major political parties.
On the Democratic side, the clear frontrunner is incumbent President Joe Biden, who is looking to serve his second four year term. While many questioned if his age (eighty) would play a factor in his decision to run, Biden squashed all doubts in April of 2023, officially launching his reelection campaign for 2024. While a few other names, such as author and speaker Marianne Williamson and house representative Dean Phillips, are still in play, Biden has dominated the Democratic field.
Another candidate to keep on the radar is prior Democrat turned Independent candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Making his political switch in October of 2023, Kennedy has been gaining a lot of media attention, intermixing his Democratic views with conservative standpoints, making him an interesting candidate to voters across the board. A recent MSNBC poll indicated that Kennedy has officially earned a spot on the presidential ballot with frontrunners Donald Trump and Joe Biden, gaining 16% of the vote (MSNBC). With plenty of time until election day, Kennedy is certainly a name to keep in mind during the upcoming months.
The most competition, however, has been the fight for the Republican nomination. With thirteen original candidates, only eight met the criteria to participate in the first Republican debate, held on August 23rd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (NyTimes). Since then, the party has slowly begun to squeeze candidates out. In fact, former vice president Mike Pence recently dropped out of the race. Currently, former president Donald Trump leads the Republican polls (61%), as he seeks to reclaim his nomination for 2024. Of the other seven candidates remaining, only three still hold a somewhat competitive status in the polls, with Florida governor Rob Desantis and former South Carolina governor Niki Haley both claiming a respective 12%, followed by businessman Vivek Ramaswamay who stands at 5% (Project 538).
With many potential candidates to still watch and plenty of time until elections, we encourage you to do your own research and create your own educated opinion on your favorite candidates, especially if you plan to visit the voting booths. Ramapo teacher Mr. Vandermolen touched on the importance of voting, stating that, “Voting is not merely a right, but a responsibility that contributes to the functioning and legitimacy of our democratic society. It honors the struggles of those who fought for this right in the past and ensures that our voices are heard in shaping the future.” Ramapo student Albert Carilli will certainly be taking this advice come next November, claiming,“I will definitely be voting in the 2024 election, and am making sure to keep an open mind for all available options.” Whether voting or not, it’s important to be informed about the political status of your country, and the 2024 election is something that should be on everyone’s radar.
