City Council Member Gary Wolfram suggested that based on Biden’s State of the Union speech, Democrats will likely campaign on economic issues. Courtesy | Twitter

Local leaders are expecting a wide range of issues to drive the 2024 general election, including economic policy, energy policy, and education.

President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address suggested the key issues of the Democratic Party will likely be economic, according to City Council Member Gary Wolfram, a professor of economics at the college.

Mandatory spending programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will likely play key roles in each candidate’s platform, Wolfram said.

“The issue in 2024 will be the conflict between running trillion dollar deficits and increasing national debt and dealing with mandatory programs like Social Security,” Wolfram said. “You can’t balance the past budget unless you do something about Social Security.”

Biden’s policies may include a federal minimum wage increase and capping drug prices, Wolfram said.

Wolfram thinks many Americans do not consider the unintended consequences of government intervention, he said. A successful Republican candidate will counter the Democratic platform of economic intervention, Wolfram said.

Wolfram said the divide in the Republican Party between politicians who support former President Donald Trump and those who oppose him could weaken the GOP candidate’s chances of winning, but Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ platform may reconcile the two sides.

Hillsdale County Commissioner Mark Wiley said green energy policy will likely be an issue of contention.

“It’s a mixed bag. Some people love the idea of it, and there are people that hate it,” Wiley said.

According to Wiley, some types of green energy, such as solar energy may not even be feasible, since many places, including Hillsdale County, receive limited sunlight.

Wiley also noted green energy policy raises ethical questions, such as whether agricultural land should be used for solar panels, a policy that could affect Hillsdale County residents.

“Private property owners cannot be told what to do with their property,” Wiley said.

Both Wiley and Hillsdale City Council Member Will Morrisey said foreign relations, especially those with Russia, Ukraine, and China, will also inform future candidates’ platforms.

According to Morrisey, issues surrounding education will also play a large role in the upcoming elections, especially decline in student success and “wokeness” in curriculum.

Wiley said immigration and visa policy will also play a role in the presidential race.

Seasonal visa laws will particularly impact the Hillsdale area because they determine the number of visa-holding immigrants allowed to work in the United States, according to Wiley.

“Too many immigrants are getting social security, healthcare, or both,” Wiley said.

All leaders agreed it is too soon to tell for certain who will run, and what exact issues will be at the forefront of the 2024 presidential race.