This is the third consecutive time Americans are dissatisfied with the president’s two major choices. And for the second consecutive election, those candidates are Joe Biden and Donald Trump. How did we get here, and why are these two unpopular politicians the only viable options? Here’s a quick primer on the basics:
How did we get Biden?
He is the current president, and most presidents are up for re-election.
At 81 years old, he is already the oldest president in history. Still, Democrats are buying into the argument that Biden is the best candidate to defeat Trump. After all, he beat him in 2020.
Also, there is no easy way for the Party to force him out.
While it is true that Democrats could have begun a serious effort toward the Biden primary, they should have done so sooner.
Moreover, none of the big names in Democratic politics dared to challenge him.
In the end, they calculated that changing the situation now was too risky, as it would bring too much confusion and uncertainty to the party.
Who wins?
The election between these two unpopular politicians is expected to be close. In 2020, a record number of voters voted for either Trump or Biden. And political strategists believe the winner this time around will be winning more voters.
About this story
Illustrations by James Yates. Edited by Betty Chavarria, Paige Cunningham, and Sarah Frostenson. Copy editing by Jamie Zega.
