Biden will tap senior White House adviser Julie Rodriguez to lead his 2024 presidential campaign — as the New York Times raises concerns about his age
- Rodriguez, a longtime party activist, also worked in the Obama White House
- It’s because the New York Times editorial board was concerned about his age
- Only 47 percent of Democrats and 26 percent of Americans want Biden to run
President Joe Biden is expected to tick Julie Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser to lead his re-election campaign, two people familiar with deliberations on the issue said Sunday.
The news comes as Americans and even some Democrats — as well as an editorial in the New York Times this weekend — question whether Biden, who would turn 82 on Election Day 2024, should be running again at all.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because Rodriguez’s nomination is not yet finalized and Biden has yet to formally launch his re-election campaign.
Rodriguez, a former Democratic party activist, also worked in former President Barack Obama’s White House.
She is the granddaughter of union leader Cesar Chavez and union activist Helen Fabela Chávez.
President Joe Biden is expected to tap Julie Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser, to lead his re-election campaign, two people familiar with deliberations on the issue said Sunday.
The Times wrote an op-ed on Saturday headlined ‘Biden must take voters’ concerns about age seriously’
She grew up in California active in campaigns, picket lines, boycotts, marches and trade union rallies.
She has served as Bidens director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs since the beginning of his presidency, adding the role of senior adviser last June.
Rodriguez also has close ties to Vice President Kamala Harris. She served on Harris’s Senate staff and in Harris’s 2020 presidential campaign as National Political Director and traveling chief of staff.
She was subsequently hired by Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign as deputy campaign manager and senior advisor for Latino outreach.
The news that Biden’s campaign is going ahead comes from so many polls that even the New York Times editors are questioning whether he should run again.
A poll earlier this week by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 26 percent of Americans overall want to see Biden run again — a slight recovery from the 22 percent who said so in January. Forty-seven percent of Democrats say they want him to run, up from just 37 percent in January.
The times wrote an opinion piece Saturday with the headline ‘Biden must take voters’ concerns about age seriously’.
They wrote: “Anxieties about age – both in terms of eligibility for office and being out of touch with the moment – are legitimate… But Mr. Biden has given voters very few opportunities to do just that – to watch him — and his refusal to do so. regularly talks to the public and raises questions about his age and health.’
A poll conducted earlier this week by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 26% of Americans in general want to see Biden run again — a slight recovery from the 22% who said so in January. Forty-seven percent of Democrats say they want him to run, also slightly up from just 37% who said so in January
Rodriguez, a former Democratic party activist, also worked in former President Barack Obama’s White House
Despite the reluctance of many Democrats to see Biden run for another term, 78 percent of them say they approve of the work he does as president.
And in all, 81 percent of Democrats say they would at least likely support Biden in a general election if he is the nominee — 41 percent say they definitely would and 40 percent say they probably would.
Biden is expected to formally announce his 2024 reelection campaign already this week, according to three people, briefed on the talks.
The people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said they were unaware a final decision on timing had been made, but that Biden had been watching Tuesday, April 25, on the day four years since the democrat entered the 2020 contest.
The upcoming announcement is expected to be in the form of a video to be released to supporters.
The 80-year-old Biden has repeatedly said he intends to run for a second term, but advisers say he has felt little need to campaign because he faces no significant opposition to his party’s nomination.