President Joe Biden has officially secured the Democratic Party's nomination for the upcoming presidential election, setting the stage for a potential rematch against former President Donald Trump. If this materializes, it would mark the first time in nearly 70 years that the United States sees such a rematch in a presidential election.
Biden reached the threshold of 1,968 delegates needed to clinch the nomination, according to Edison Research. This achievement came as results began to come in from the primary contest in Georgia, with additional results expected from Mississippi, Washington state, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Democrats living abroad.
Following the confirmation of his nomination, Biden issued a statement criticizing Trump's leadership and highlighting the stakes of the upcoming election. He framed the choice facing voters as one between defending democracy and succumbing to extremism.
Meanwhile, Trump was expected to secure the Republican Party's nomination later on the same day, with contests held in four states, including Georgia. Trump's dominance in the Republican primary effectively eliminated his last remaining rival, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, prompting her to end her presidential campaign.
Despite facing minimal opposition within the Democratic primary campaign, Biden has encountered dissent within his party over his handling of various issues, particularly regarding Israel's conflict in Gaza. Nevertheless, he remains the presumptive Democratic nominee for the upcoming election.
Both Biden and Trump have already begun campaigning for the general election, with rallies held in Georgia. Trump reiterated his baseless claims of election fraud and criticized Biden's immigration policies during a rally in Rome, Georgia.
In contrast, the Biden campaign announced plans for a more aggressive phase, including a multi-state tour and a significant ad buy worth $30 million. The campaign also reported a fundraising boost of $10 million in the 24 hours following Biden's State of the Union speech.
The upcoming election is poised to be contentious, with voters expressing limited enthusiasm for both candidates, according to Reuters/Ipsos polls. Additionally, Trump's legal troubles, including facing 91 felony counts across four indictments, could impact his standing among certain voter demographics.
Similarly, concerns over Biden's age and his handling of issues such as the border crisis pose challenges to his candidacy. However, Biden's administration points to economic growth and stock market performance as achievements during his tenure.
As the campaign unfolds, both candidates will vie for support from the American electorate, with the economy, immigration, and allegations of misconduct likely to feature prominently in the discourse leading up to the election.
