Future candidate: Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaking at an event at Bowie State University in February. — Getty Images/TNS
THE focus is fixed on Republicans when it comes to 2024 presidential primary politics: Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have announced their bids for the party’s nomination this past week, making it a six-pack of competitors so far against the damaged but still dominant Donald Trump.
By contrast, there’s relative calm on the Democratic side, where President Joe Biden has no major rivals for re-election. Yet the placidity belies simmering anxiety. Just over a month after the president released the three-minute video confirming he is seeking a second term, he hasn’t quieted doubts about his candidacy among party leaders and voters. If anything, the worries are mounting, flowing from his consistently low poll ratings and the fact of his advanced age.