The Perspectives page of The Blue and White offers students and staff an opportunity to express their thoughts about topics that affect our school, our community, or the world at large. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Apopka High School or The Blue and White.
The following editorial was contributed by Senior Elijah Nuebel:
We are less than one year away from Election Day 2024, but not much has changed. With an ever-dwindling Republican field down to only four candidates and the biggest Democratic challenger to Biden, RFK Jr, now running as an Independent, a Trump vs Biden showdown looks most probable for the 2024 presidential election. Both sides have major question marks surrounding their 2024 election cycles.
Democrats, is Biden the best you got? If Biden was just supposed to be the guy to beat Trump, why is he still around at the ripe age of 80? The party has enough younger and more competent options to run a second Biden presidential ticket. Age and health concerns with Biden are quite valid, as he’d be 85 at the end of a potential second term, which isn’t ever guaranteed, especially at that age (although the same could be said to a lesser extent with Trump). What needs to happen: your party must rally behind Biden as your number-one man if that’s the route you go with. Lukewarm support won’t win for Biden in ’24.
Republicans, your response to an abysmal midterm cycle was to further embarrass the party by struggling to elect a House Speaker not once, but twice. When the party displays such divisiveness as publicly as they have, it begs the question of whether Republican voters will be able to rally behind a likely third nomination for President Trump. After less-than-optimal results in the last two election cycles, one thing is clear— the GOP must find some common ground amongst themselves, or otherwise, they won’t have to worry about calling the shots. What needs to happen: your party must unite, and fast. A divided effort in the Republican party will all but ensure a Democratic victory in ’24.
On policy, there is one key area that I predict will hold the Republicans back, as it did in the midterms. That is their stance on social issues. Hard-line abortion stances and a failed culture war, in part, cost the Republicans a midterm “red wave” that historically is almost guaranteed. I believe that for the Republicans, these are simply losing issues. Focusing on the culture wars, I don’t see the Republicans as having anything to gain. Their base already supports them, and the anti-woke agenda only serves to alienate moderate voters. The issue of abortion is the real kicker. According to the New York Times, women registering to vote rose by 35% after Roe was overturned. The Democrats have to turn this election into a matter of one side defending and one side restricting rights. That, I believe, is the easiest route to getting the women and minority voting blocks to vote, which is key to the Democrats’ strategy.
The key area that I predict will hold the Democrats is the economy. Above all else, people will vote for who puts more money in their pockets. Whether or not the current economic struggles are a fault of Bidenenomics doesn’t matter, as the average voter doesn’t care about statistics and data that isn’t tangible to their pocketbooks. When people see high interest rates, high inflation, higher cost of living, and expensive gas, they will vote against the politicians and policies in power. This is something that the Republicans have and will continue to criticize the Dems about, and it’s their best strategy.
Whether you like it or not, a Trump vs Biden rematch is all but likely, barring the unlikely cases of health concerns or legal issues. Primaries will be held across the nation starting in January 2024 with Iowa. For our upperclassmen, this will be the first election cycle they are eligible to vote in. You can register (18+), preregister (16+), or check your registration status here.
