President Joe Biden’s fitness to run for reelection in the 2024 presidential election has been a hot topic for months now,and after an especially poor debate performance against Republican nominee Donald Trump on June 28, discussions of a new Democratic nominee quickly became at the top of everyone’s minds. On multiple occasions, Biden stated that he would stay in the race despite doubts about his abilities. However, on July 21, Biden announced he will not be running for reelection in the 2024 presidential race against former President Donald Trump.
Immediately after announcing he was stepping down, Biden quickly endorsed 59-year-old Vice President Kamala Harris, who’d also just announced her entrance into the race for the presidency. Harris has been favored as the new Democratic nominee by multiple Democratic leaders and news outlets, but since the party’s official candidate won’t be announced until the Democratic National Convention in mind-August, it’s expected that there will be some debate about who should step up and take Biden’s place in the coming months.
In response to the news of Biden stepping down and Harris announcing her candidacy, Her Campus posted a poll on Instagram to ask Gen Zers — a group who have been outspoken about their lack of interest in either Biden or Trump — who they want to see step up and take Biden’s place in the election. As of July 22, there were 26 respondents; here’s who they said they want to see on the ticket.
Kamala Harris
Harris received the most responses from those surveyed, with 38% of respondents naming her as the person Gen Zers most want to see as the official Democratic candidate. This doesn’t come as a surprise, considering Harris has been a highly favored Democratic candidate for 2024 since even before Biden officially dropped out of the race and endorsed her. She’s relatively young (and therefore more in touch with the issues that matter most to Gen Z), popular among Democrats, experienced with White House affairs and the campaign trail, and known for her enthusiasm (and extreme meme-ability), Harris is a strong candidate for the presidency, especially among young voters.
After a tough couple months for Democrats, Harris is aiming to rally the party behind her and hit the ground running. Biden’s endorsement does not automatically make her the Democratic nominee, however — she has said that she aims to earn and win the nomination come August.
Michelle Obama
In a more surprising twist, Michelle Obama was another popular name Gen Zers brought up when asked who they wanted to see on the 2024 ballot. There’s been debate about whether the former first lady could defeat Trump, and the idea is especially popular among those who wish former President Barack Obama could legally be elected back into office. However, Michelle has stated she does not plan to run, so it’s probably best to refocus that energy toward a viable candidate.
Other Democratic Leaders (Who Have Already Endorsed Harris)
Gen Zers also named a few other Democratic leaders who they think would do well in office and defeat Trump in the 2024 race.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigiege and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro both emerged as popular potential presidential candidates among the Gen Zers surveyed. Other leaders mentioned include New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
However, all of the aforementioned potential candidates have already endorsed Harris as the next Democratic nominee, so they are unlikely to run themselves. However, discussions about whether any of them will be selected as Harris’ running mate have already begun.
Gen Z-Favorite Celebs
In true Gen Z fashion, some responses simply made light of the very serious situation at hand with jokes and wishful thinking, naming some favorite celebrities who they (likely jokingly) want to see on the ticket.
Charli XCX, who recently released her wildly successful album Brat, was a response that popped up more than once. Known for her confidence and unapologetic attitude, it’s nice to imagine that she could take charge in a debate against Trump.
Mr. Beast was also brought up. On July 6, the YouTuber known for his philanthropy posted on X that he would run for president in the event that the U.S. lowered the presidential age requirement. He has said that he would take a centrist approach to solving the country’s problems and getting young voters excited — and he’s gained some genuine support.
Taylor Swift was another name mentioned, unsurprisingly. Swift has taken the world by storm, especially in recent years, and it honestly seems at times like she can do anything — so, would you really be all that surprised by her running for president… and winning? However, many Swifties are holding out for Swift to endorse Harris, so once again, it seems better for voters to put their energies toward the legitimate candidates, as fun as it is to daydream about the alternatives.