Saturday 2 July 2022 08:57 PM Illinois Gov JB Pritzker touted as possible rival for ailing President Joe ... trends now

Saturday 2 July 2022 08:57 PM Illinois Gov JB Pritzker touted as possible rival for ailing President Joe ... trends now
Saturday 2 July 2022 08:57 PM Illinois Gov JB Pritzker touted as possible rival for ailing President Joe ... trends now

Saturday 2 July 2022 08:57 PM Illinois Gov JB Pritzker touted as possible rival for ailing President Joe ... trends now

President Joe Biden may face a primary challenge if he runs for re-election in 2024. 

Analysts speculate Illinois Governor JB Pritzker may be eyeing the White House despite his claims that his focus remains on the state's upcoming gubernatorial race.

Pritzker said Wednesday it is 'certainly possible' Biden would face a Democrat challenger, but added: 'It's not something I'm encouraging.' 

Vice President Kamala Harris has seemingly tried to shut down rumors that she may be seeking the role of America's top chief. 

'Joe Biden is running for re-election, and I will be his ticket mate,' Harris told CNN earlier this week. 'Full stop.' 

Meantime, an overwhelming and growing majority of Americans say the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction under Biden, including nearly eight in 10 Democrats.

Joe Biden (pictured Friday) may face a primary challenger if he runs for re-election in 2024

Joe Biden (pictured Friday) may face a primary challenger if he runs for re-election in 2024

Biden's political operatives insist he will run for president again in 2024, despite concerns about his viability.

However, political analysts aren't convinced the incumbent will be seeking the Democratic nomination unopposed. 

Rumors arose about Pritzker's interest in the White House after he traveled to New Hampshire last month to speak at the state's Democratic convention.

The billionaire has also raised eyebrows with recent donations to governors in battleground states, but still insists he's not rooting for anyone to challenge Biden.

'That's not something I'm encouraging, but it's certainly possible,' Pritzker, 57, told NBC News last Wednesday. 'We've seen it in the past.'

CNN analysts note the only time an incumbent was 'seriously challenged' for the Democratic nominee was in 1980 when Jimmy Carter ran for re-election and was challenged by Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Although Carter narrowly won the primary, securing the presidential nomination, he was blown out in the general election by Ronald Reagan.

Despite his comment that a challenger was possible, Pritzker insists he is focusing his energy and resources on securing a second term as governor in Illinois. 

'For me, I'm focused on my reelection and what it is I can do for the people of Illinois,' the governor explained. Pritzker's family owns the Hyatt hotel chain and reportedly has a net worth of more than $3.6 billion. 

Analysts speculate Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (pictured June 13) may be eyeing the White House despite his claims that his focus remains on the state's upcoming gubernatorial race

Analysts speculate Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (pictured June 13) may be eyeing the White House despite his claims that his focus remains on the state's upcoming gubernatorial race

Pritzker (right) said Wednesday it is 'certainly possible' Biden (left) would face a Democrat challenger, but added: 'It's not something I'm encouraging.' The pair are pictured together in Illinois in July 2021

Pritzker (right) said Wednesday it is 'certainly possible' Biden (left) would face a Democrat challenger, but added: 'It's not something I'm encouraging.' The pair are pictured together in Illinois in July 2021

Those familiar with Biden's campaign allege he has been selling fellow Democrats on his re-election plan at fundraisers and other party events in recent weeks.

The insiders claim Biden will promote himself as the only Democrat who can beat former President Donald Trump, who has hinted at running again.

'It's basically the same argument he was making at this point in 2018 about why he thought he might have to run,' a Democrat allegedly privy to Biden's campaign told NBC News on Wednesday. 'He would just walk through every candidate.' 

White House insiders claim the president will finalize his campaign plans following the November midterms and file paperwork for re-election in early 2023.

His aides also claimed he is using the midterm elections as a 'test run for 2024,' similar to how he used the 2018 midterms to set up his 2020 presidential bid.

'It's the kind of thing you can only show, not tell,' a top White House adviser told the news outlet.

Vice President Kamala Harris has seemingly tried to shut down rumors that she may be seeking the role of America's top chief. She told CNN earlier this week: 'Joe Biden is running for reelection, and I will be his ticket mate. Full stop'

Vice President Kamala Harris has seemingly tried to shut down rumors that she may be seeking the role of America's top chief. She told CNN earlier this week: 'Joe Biden is running for reelection, and I will be his ticket mate. Full stop'

Meantime, Biden's popularity has experienced a deep downturn in recent months amid growing pessimism over the economy. An overwhelming and growing majority of Americans say the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction under Biden (pictured Friday), including nearly eight in 10 Democrats

Meantime, Biden's popularity has experienced a deep downturn in recent months amid growing pessimism over the economy. An overwhelming and growing majority of Americans say the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction under Biden (pictured Friday), including nearly eight in 10 Democrats

But political experts still question if those efforts will be enough for Biden to secure another four years living on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Biden's popularity has experienced a deep downturn in recent months amid growing pessimism over the economy. 

Eighty-five percent of U.S. adults say the country is on the wrong track, and 79 percent describe the economy as poor, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The findings suggest Biden faces fundamental challenges as he tries to motivate voters to cast ballots for Democrats in November's midterm elections.

Inflation has consistently eclipsed the healthy 3.6 percent unemployment rate as a focal point for Americans, who are dealing with particularly sharp spikes in gasoline and food prices. 

The average cost of consumer goods rose 8.6 percent in May, according to the most recently available data, the highest increase since 1981.

Driving the record surge was a 48.7 percent increase in gas prices and nearly 40 percent increase in airfare, as millions across the country are feeling pain at the pump over the steep months-long rise.

Even among Democrats, 67 percent call economic conditions poor.

'He's doing the best he can - I can't say he's doing a good job,' said Chuck McClain, 74. 'But his opposition is so bad. I just don't feel the Democratic Congress is doing enough.'

A majority of people still don't approve of President Joe Biden's work in office despite easing from a record high in May

A majority of people still don't approve of President Joe Biden's work in office despite easing from a record high in May

A staggering number of voters also believe the country is off on the wrong track amid multiple supply shortages, a possible looming recession and record inflation

A staggering number of voters also believe the country is off on the wrong track amid multiple supply shortages, a possible looming recession and record inflation

The poll shows only 39 percent of Americans approve of Biden's leadership overall, while 60 percent disapprove. 

His approval rating fell to its lowest point of his presidency last month and remains at that level. 

The Democratic president gets hit even harder on the economy, with 69 percent saying they disapprove of him on the issue. Among Democrats, 43 percent disapprove of Biden's handling of the economy.

Just 14 percent say things are going in the right direction, down slightly from 21 percent in May and 29 percent in April. Through the first half of 2021, about half of Americans said the country was headed in the right direction, a number that has steadily eroded in the past year.

But despite signs of a possible economic recession, consumer spending has largely kept pace and hiring remains brisk in a sign that families and businesses have been able to withstand some of the economic pain.

In an interview last month, Biden traced the decline in his popularity to increases in gas prices that began a year ago. 

He said that prices shot up further with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. But he rejected claims by Republican lawmakers and some major economists that his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package from last year contributed to inflation, noting that price increases were a global phenomenon.

'We're in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation,' Biden said. 'If it's my fault, why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher?'

People's pessimism is primarily with the economy, which almost eight in 10 Americans surveyed said was in poor condition

People's pessimism is primarily with the economy, which almost eight in 10 Americans surveyed said was in poor condition

But it seems like Americans have been disenchanted with Biden for months.

The president's average approval rating dipped below 50 percent in mid-August, according to poll aggregator FiveThirtyEight. 

His disapproval rating exceeded that threshold in late October. 

Many interviews taken for the AP's poll were conducted after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade on June 24, allowing states to ban abortion - a decision opposed by a majority of the American people in earlier polls, which could also have contributed to the continued slump in the national mood.

The national dissatisfaction is bipartisan, the poll shows. Ninety-two percent of Republicans and 78 percent of Democrats say the country is headed in the wrong direction. Since last month, the percentage of Democrats saying the country is headed in the wrong direction rose from 66 percent.

In a CBS News poll released two days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe, 52 percent of respondents said the move was 'a step backwards' for the country while just 31 percent said the opposite.

More than eight in 10 people said things in America today are going badly in that survey, taken June 24 and 25. 

Biden's handling of the coronavirus pandemic remains a relative bright spot, with 53 percent of Americans saying they approve of his handling of that issue. 

On the other hand, only 36 percent say they approve of Biden's handling of gun policy; 62 percent disapprove.

Overall, survey participants say the seemingly failing economy is their top concern.  

Biden, the oldest U.S. president in history, has also faced criticisms since the start of his presidency about his cognitive competency. PICTURED: Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi watch as Biden gives his State of the Union address. Harris could be seen mouthing the correct 'Ukrainian' when Biden made the error

Biden, the oldest U.S. president in history, has also faced criticisms since the start of his presidency about his cognitive competency. PICTURED: Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi watch as Biden gives his State of the Union address. Harris could be seen mouthing the correct 'Ukrainian' when Biden made the error

Biden, the oldest U.S. president in history, has also faced criticisms since the start of his presidency about his cognitive competency.

Many claims were lobbed at Biden by Donald Trump during their election contest, although 75 year-old Trump has himself faced claims about his own cognitive health. 

In April, the 46th president, while finishing a speech about the nation's ongoing supply chain crisis, turned around and stuck his hand out as if to shake hands and then turned his back on the

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