This combination of photos shows former President Donald Trump, left, and President Joe Biden, right. Biden and Trump are preparing for a possible rematch in 2024. A University of Utah associate professor joined Dave & Dujanovic to discuss what a Trump vs. Biden rematch might look like. (AP Photo/File)
SALT LAKE CITY — The 2024 presidential election is still more than 18 months away. Still, it’s never too early to start thinking about which candidates might make a run for the White House in 2024. Could a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump be in the future?
This week, President Biden announced his intentions to seek reelection. And former President Donald Trump has already announced he will seek reelection in 2024.
So, a question that comes to mind, is what a would Trump versus Biden rematch look like next year.
Dave Noriega and guest host Maura Carabello discuss a potential rematch with James Curry, associate professor of political science at the University of Utah.
Noriega opened the conversation by saying, “Why do we do this to ourselves?”
Noriega cites a poll in which 27% of those surveyed said a rematch between the former president and President Trump would be the worst thing or primarily bad. And 25% of those surveyed dislike the thought of a rematch.
And then Noriega asks Curry, “Where do you land on your feelings (about a potential rematch)?”
“My reaction to all of this,” Curry said. “Is it says a lot about our politics in the sense that people and I don’t think this is terribly new. I think just like this sort of moment where you have two relatively old individuals who’ve run for president before and have been president before, potentially facing a rematch.”
Curry goes on to say this brings attention to the fact that Americans are not especially happy with their politicians and leaders. But are unable to find an alternative candidate to throw their support behind.
“And doesn’t it set up the narrative or the choice that I think many people expressed in the last election,” Carabello said. “Which you weren’t choosing, maybe who you were excited about. You were choosing who you disliked the least, almost.”
“And that’s you’re likely to see again,” Curry said. “Is that the Democrats may not love Biden, but they hate Trump. And you know, Republicans may not love Trump, but they sure hate Biden. And that’s going to lead us back to where we’ve been.”
Noriega asks if there is a way to break through all of the negativity that comes with politics and elections.
“Politicians use that negative activity to win your vote,” Curry said.
Curry encourages his students to spend less time reading sensational headlines and read about the actual proceedings taking place in Washington.
“So just try to tune out some of the noise and I think it helps take down some of the temperature,” Curry said.
Carabello asks about a second-tier candidate emerging sometime in the several months that could ruin a possible presidential rematch.
“I don’t think there’s any chance that Biden doesn’t get renominated,” Curry said.
However, he acknowledges things could change on the Republican side.
“If you’re a Republican and you’d like there to be an alternative to Trump,” Curry said. “What Republicans really need to do is get organized and clear the field for an alternative because the reality is Trump will win if it’s Trump versus six or seven other candidates.”
Listen to the entire segment.
Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.
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