by Zayd Hamid

Following the announcement of President Joe Biden withdrawing from the 2024 presidential campaign, young voters are making their voices heard. Several students and recent alumni spoke with the PW Perspective’s Zayd Hamid regarding President Biden suspending his campaign and subsequently endorsing Vice President Harris.

Recognizing the historic accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration, particularly for issues important to young voters such as student loan forgiveness and climate change mitigation, some see President Biden stepping down as bittersweet. “President Biden is without a doubt the greatest president of my lifetime and we have been beyond lucky to have him in the White House for the past four years. It’s hard to think of a President that has accomplished as much as Biden has in just four short years,” Zach Lincoln, the student lead for the Biden-Harris campaign at George Mason University, said. 

“We might be losing a champion for young people in the White House,” he continued. “But we have the chance to elect one that will preserve and expand on the work President Biden has done.” Zach looks forward to supporting Vice President Harris’ campaign.

Even young voters enthusiastic about President Biden stepping aside for a new nominee are keen to recognize his accomplishments in office. “I am thankful that President Biden decided to pass the torch to a new generation of leadership. His presidency has seen historic investments in our infrastructure, the largest climate change mitigation efforts in U.S history, and countless other achievements,” Liam Fischer, a 22-year-old legislative assistant in the Virginia General Assembly, said. Liam is confident that the president’s decision will unify Democrats and lead to former president Donald Trump’s defeat in December. 

However, others, although supporting the president’s choice to step down, have concerns over the strategic timing of his decision. Fauquier County resident and George Mason University sophomore June Johnson called the president’s decision “selfless” and affirmed that it “epitomizes his lengthy career of service in the vision of the American people,” but noted that it “leaves the Democratic Party in a precarious strategic position going into the next weeks.” Prince William County resident and George Mason University junior Evanna Koury, sharing June’s concern, wished the decision had been reached earlier and lamented the lack of time the party has now to “find a new nominee.”

The lack of time before the convention for a new nominee to rally support may necessitate policy change promises to mobilize young voters. Progressive organizers like Thomas Stevens, a 23-year-old neurodivergent activist, have been particularly critical of President Biden’s foreign policy related to Israel and Palestine. “Biden is out of gas on a good day and actively facilitating a genocide on all the other days,” Thomas said. “I don’t think Harris is perfect but, if she could force a ceasefire, that’d be good enough for me.” He is willing to volunteer for the Democratic Party leading up to the election now that President Biden is no longer the nominee. 

Because of suspending his re-election campaign, President Biden is also facing calls from conservatives to step down from the presidency. “The Democrat leadership has lied to the American people and Democratic Primary voters. This was their plan all along,” one anonymous student at George Mason University asserted. “If President Biden is not fit to run for re-election, he is not fit to serve as President.”

This student also discounted the effect that President Biden stepping down may have on the Democratic Party’s prospects against former president Trump. “They can try to switch the top of the ticket, however the detrimental policies of this administration are still hurting everyday Americans,” he elaborated. “Voters across the country will reject the Democratic vision no matter who is on the top of the ticket.” 

It remains to be seen just what effect‌ President Biden’s decision to step down for a new nominee, likely Vice President Harris, will have. George Mason University senior Liam Keen offers the following advice to the next Democratic nominee: “embody the growing calls for humane foreign policy, justice, equity, climate action, and actionable civil and human rights progress.” Young voters remain hopeful that this advice will be heeded as the Democratic Party emerges from this critical moment and redoubles its efforts to win in November.

(Zayd Hamid is the 2023 Student Advocate of the Year, member of the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics, member of the National Society for Leadership and Success, and a current Master of Public Policy student at George Mason University. Find out more about his resume services by visiting his LinkedIn page.)