If anything, the opposite would occur. As soon as someone announces they are running against Trump, the personal attacks start and they become an object of constant public ridicule. Just ask Ron DeSantis.
The very act of campaigning effects poll numbers. Figures like Newsom are pretty obscure outside their states.
Also there’s quite a difference between running against Trump as a Republican and a Democrat. DeSantis had to contend with his own Party being divided. A hypothetical Biden replacement would have the Party’s unified support.
The very act of campaigning tends to drag candidates down as their flaws are identified and hammered over and over.
That’s what happened to Dukakis, Gore, McCain, Clinton, etc. Even Obama, who in 2008 went from “inspirational DNC orator” to “inexperienced community activist”.
Why would it?
If anything, the opposite would occur. As soon as someone announces they are running against Trump, the personal attacks start and they become an object of constant public ridicule. Just ask Ron DeSantis.
The very act of campaigning effects poll numbers. Figures like Newsom are pretty obscure outside their states.
Also there’s quite a difference between running against Trump as a Republican and a Democrat. DeSantis had to contend with his own Party being divided. A hypothetical Biden replacement would have the Party’s unified support.
The very act of campaigning tends to drag candidates down as their flaws are identified and hammered over and over.
That’s what happened to Dukakis, Gore, McCain, Clinton, etc. Even Obama, who in 2008 went from “inspirational DNC orator” to “inexperienced community activist”.
And that’s what’s happening to Biden.
The act of campaigning only drags candidates down when they suck 😉