President Joe Biden has made changes to his leadership team for his 2024 reelection campaign.
White House deputy chief of staff Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, who managed his 2020 campaign, has been appointed as chairman, while presidential senior adviser Mike Donilon will serve as chief strategist. Julie Chavez Rodriguez will continue in her role as campaign manager. O’Malley Dillon’s new responsibilities will include organizing and executing Biden’s path to 270 electoral votes, while Donilon will handle messaging and media strategy.
The changes come after concerns were raised about the campaign’s level of preparedness for the general election, particularly if former President Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee. There were also worries about mismanagement, as political decisions were shared between the White House and Biden’s home state of Delaware. Biden’s persistently poor polling was another area of concern.
Former President Barack Obama was one of those who voiced concerns about the Biden campaign. “This is a smart move by President Biden and Julie,” said Obama’s 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina. Democratic strategist Maria Cardona added that Chavez Rodriguez is overseeing a strong campaign operation that is raising historic amounts of money and is well-prepared to take on Trump. O’Malley Dillon previously took over from Greg Schultz during Biden’s 2020 campaign and was deputy manager of Obama’s 2012 bid.
The changes mean that O’Malley Dillon and Donilon will now focus fully on the reelection campaign, adopting a more general election posture. Chavez Rodriguez will continue to lead the campaign, while O’Malley Dillon and Donilon will contribute their strategic expertise. “Mike and Jen were essential members of the senior team that helped President Biden and Vice President Harris earn the most votes in American history in 2020,” said Chavez Rodriguez.
The appointments are seen as a standard move ahead of the election, with Cardona noting that it’s critical to bring in trusted and effective leaders as the campaign gears up for November. Chavez Rodriguez, who is the granddaughter of labor activist Cesar Chavez, previously served in the White House as Biden’s director of intergovernmental affairs. She was O’Malley Dillon’s deputy during the 2020 campaign.