Letters to the Editor: Why a Trump-Biden rematch in November no sure bet

To the editor: Whether former President Trump and President Biden will actually be their parties’ nominees in November is most doubtful. That’s why both parties have potential replacement candidates lying in wait. (“Why replacing Biden with Newsom or some ‘mythical perfect Democrat’ is unlikely,” Feb. 13)

As Trump’s long-running legal challenges continue to mount, he will be rendered ever more subject to outright disqualification or to gravely diminished polling figures. Nikki Haley, despite her lackluster primary showings, remains eager to step up with any other viable Republican on the party’s ultimate Trump-less ticket.

Whether Biden will remain the Democrats’ nominee is no lock either. The big difference: He doesn’t share Trump’s egoistic motivations for remaining his party’s presumptive nominee.

Hence, Biden won’t hesitate to bow out if another Democratic candidate stands a better chance of prevailing in November. Above all, he doesn’t want the GOP to inflict four more years of democracy-ravaging chaos sure to flow from electing Trump or one of his acolytes.

In short, a Biden-Trump rematch is no sure bet.

Devra Mindell, Santa Monica

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To the editor: In their opinion piece, political scientists Justin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghaus note that historians hold up Biden as a top-tier president and rank Trump dead last.

Now, I’m not a Trumpist, but I also find Biden to be a poor leader. The 2024 election offers us a terrible choice.

But I am reasonably well educated, read the news and study the issues and candidates’ positions before I vote. So, please excuse me if I make up my own mind rather than defer to “the experts.”

In today’s world, an expert is just someone with an opinion and a platform.

Mike Liewald, Los Alamitos