With President Biden announcing his re-election campaign Tuesday and Donald Trump being the leading candidate on the Republican side, the issue of age is weighing heavily on voters’ minds.
A recent survey by Reuters-Ipsos shows more than 60% of voters feel Biden is too old to work in government… and two thirds don’t want Biden or Trump to run.
News4JAX spoke with several voters and every one we spoke in various age groups thought the two candidates were too old. “I think they’ve both done a good job and the best job they could do and it’s possibly time to just retire and let some new thoughts and leaders get in there,” said voter Shauntai Arrington.
“I think they’re too old,” said voter Beverly Wheeler. “Just because I know how I feel at 77 and I don’t feel anybody who’s 80 is just up for the job.”
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Both candidates would be the oldest ever elected. Trump will be 78 in 2024 and Biden will be 81. By contrast, former President Ronald Reagan was 77 when he left office after two terms. At that time, Reagan was the oldest President ever in office.
News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney said one issue both campaigns will need to deal with is any potential health problems for Trump or Biden during the campaign. “In your late 70′s and 80′s health problems can obviously arise,” said Mullaney. “And if it arises during the course of the campaign it can be strenuous and difficult. It could become a major issue. And that would be a health issue.”
But Donald Trump is not the guaranteed nominee for the GOP. Several other candidates have already entered the race and many are speculating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may at some point. “For Donald Trump it’s a more difficult path than for Joe Biden. But for now it seems we’re on a path for a rematch with Biden and Trump and that is not a rematch that most of the country wants,” said Mullaney.