Staff Reports
In a festive mood, the Washington Examiner has pinpointed 12 issues they believe will shape 2024 and beyond. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride through the ongoing tussle between the Biden family’s business dealings and Republican Oversight, the emergence of a “new world order,” and the fights over redistricting and new election maps. Hold onto your hats, because Part Nine zeroes in on the hurdles President Joe Biden must leap to maintain Democratic cohesion in 2024.
As Democrats strive to reclaim their House majority in 2024, party leaders must also grapple with preserving their slim grip on the Senate and the White House. It’s a tough gig, and the Republicans are chomping at the bit to flip control of both the Senate and White House to capitalize on the top voter concerns and outdo their Democratic rivals. The pressure’s on President Joe Biden to keep the Democratic Party united, and boy oh boy, it’s no walk in the park, what with some hairline fractures appearing on various fronts.
First up, we got the Israel conundrum. The war in Israel has rekindled a long-standing debate among Democrats, illuminating the underlying tensions between those who staunchly support Israel and those who are gung-ho about championing Palestinian rights. After the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, progressive House Democrats have been clamoring for a ceasefire and pushing their colleagues to put the brakes on military aid to the country. It’s been a real hullabaloo, with some of these lawmakers, many of whom are part of a gang called “the Squad,” even taking a swipe at Biden and accusing him of stoking warfare. And things hit fever pitch when the House gave Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, a spanking for her pro-Palestinian gibes. Talk about intra-party squabbles on full display!
And then there’s the southern border brouhaha. Biden’s got his hands full with the crisis at the southern border, which is poised to be a top voter concern in the 2024 cycle. Customs and Border Protection crossed paths with a record 2.48 million illegal immigrants in fiscal 2023, including 670,000 “got-a-ways,” referring to those who sauntered into the country illegally without getting nabbed by border agents. Both Republicans and Democrats are urging Biden to tackle the issue, yodeling for attention, and stirring up a dust storm between the president and his GOP counterparts.
Some folks in Biden’s own party from border states and sanctuaries cities are giving him the hairy eyeball, accusing him of not doing enough to stem the tide of illegal immigration. Folks like Mayor Rolando Salinas of Eagle Pass, Texas, and Mayor Eric Adams of New York are airing their grievances, saying the federal government has given them the cold shoulder as their cities grapple with the fallout of the border influx. It’s a real pickle for old Biden.
We’ve got Biden’s electability hanging in the balance. At the heart of Biden’s tribulations is the burning question of whether he’s the best bet for a possible rematch against former President Donald Trump because of his age and drooping polling numbers. At 81, Biden’s struggling with low approval ratings, and recent polls have him lagging behind Trump in a head-to-head showdown. And just when you thought things couldn’t get any spicier, Rep. Dean Phillips announced he’d be taking a shot at the Democratic nomination, citing polls showing Biden taking a nosedive against Trump. And don’t forget about Sen. Joe Manchin, who’s been giving Biden grief and hasn’t ruled out a run for the presidency.
