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Biden enlists potential rivals as advisers ahead of 2024

Mar 03, 2023

President Biden’s team is moving quickly to build a “national advisory board” stocked with Democratic governors, senators and other political stars who will travel and speak on Biden’s behalf during his expected reelection campaign, an early effort to unify party leaders and minimize the chance of dissent.

The group, which will be housed at the Democratic National Committee and formally announced this month, is among steps Biden aides are taking to prepare for the president’s likely reelection bid, which he is expected to announce in April. In joining the operation, the political leaders will be asked to travel, attend events, appear on television and perform other duties as high-level surrogates for the Democratic Party, at first, and then Biden once he launches his campaign.

Biden aides said some Democrats are still being asked to join the effort, but they have already enlisted more than 20 national figures. They include such influential governors as Gavin Newsom of California, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Wes Moore of Maryland, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Phil Murphy of New Jersey.