Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, and reelected in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, and 2008. In the 2008 presidential election, Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, selected Biden as his running mate, later winning the election and going on to win a second term in 2012.

After the death of Vice President Joe Biden's son, Beau, Biden stepped back from pursuing the democratic nomination for the 2016 Presidential election and became an honorary professor at the University of Pennsylvania, holding the position until 2019.

Biden ultimately decided to run in the 2020 Presidential election after positive public polling in his favor to win over the current President Trump. Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States with Vice President, Kamala Harris, becoming the first candidate to defeat a sitting president since Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in 1992.

President Biden confirmed his run for a second term with Vice President Harris in the 2024 Presidential election and began campaigning against presumed Republican pick, Donald Trump. The first Presidential debate was held between President Biden and former President Trump on June 27, 2024, resulting in mounting questions about President Biden's health and fittness to complete a second term as President.

With increasing pressure from the public and fellow Democratic members to withdraw from the race, on July 21, President Biden formally withdrew his candidacy stating this was "in the best interest of my party and the country". He endorsed Vice President Harris as his successor. As of July 22, 2024, Harris secured enough delegates to become the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election.