Washington Post columnist says Biden, Harris shouldn't run in 2024, may undo 'greatest achievement'

"Washington Post" columnist David Ignatius said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris should not run for reelection in 2024, stating that if they run together in 2024, it risks undoing their "greatest achievement" of stopping Donald Trump from being reelected.

Ignatius, who had called Biden the "best candidate to beat Trump" in a 2019 column, said in his latest opinion piece that "Biden has had a remarkable string of wins," such as defeating Trump, keeping Democrats strong in the 2022 midterms, prosecuting Jan. 6, 2021, riot cases and bringing charges against Trump.

"In sum, he has been a successful and effective president. But I don’t think Biden and Vice President Harris should run for reelection," Ignatius wrote. "It’s painful to say that, given my admiration for much of what they have accomplished. But if he and Harris campaign together in 2024, I think Biden risks undoing his greatest achievement — which was stopping Trump."

In a 2024 campaign, Biden has two "big liabilities" – his age and the low approval rating of Harris – Ignatius said.

Because Biden would be 82 at the start of a second term, voters are looking at his presumptive running mate Harris, who, with a 39.5% average approval rating, is less popular than Biden, according to FiveThirtyEight.

If Biden picked another running mate, it "could alienate Black women," making him "more vulnerable" in the election, Ignatius said.

Biden has faced questions about his mental fitness for office given that he is the oldest U.S. president. While Republicans have attacked him on it, Democrats, such as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, are standing by Biden.

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