Regardless of who wins the presidential election, and it’s possible (perhaps probable) that we won’t know for certain on Election Night, speculation about 2024 will likely immediately begin.
I know, it’s a depressing thought.
Regardless of the outcome, it is likely that we could have an open seat come 2024. If President Donald Trump wins, he will be term-limited. If former Vice President Joe Biden wins, he will be 78-years-old on inauguration day, making him the oldest president to be sworn in, beating the late President Ronald Reagan by eight years.
Biden has not said he would not run for re-election, but he has also referred to himself as a “transition candidate.”
If that is the case, potential Vice President Kamala Harris will be a top contender among some of the younger faces in the Democratic Party.
Republicans, I’m sure, will have a large field as well; open seats tend to attract a lot of candidates with, perhaps, Vice President Mike Pence being among their number and perhaps another Trump, like Ivanka.
There’s also the possibility, should Biden win, that he won’t finish his first term, making 2024 even more interesting (albeit the years before more terrifying) as Kamala Harris would then be an incumbent with its benefits and potential drawbacks.
Anyway, don’t expect much of a respite.